Flash Foward
by TheBetterPoison
Summary: A Samcedes fanfic, 10 years after their days at McKinley. But like all my Samcedes fanfics, there will be appearances by their fellow ND alums. Chapters WILL be added to this. Sorry for any errors & as always, REVIEWS ARE WELCOME! Support is motivation! Rated M for some mature content.
1. Preface

_**Preface**_

Despite the winter season, it was a sunny afternoon in Beverly Hills. By now, Mercedes Jones had gotten plenty used to having this pleasant of weather at this time of year; a far contrast from the frigid winters back in Lima. But it had been years since she'd spent a freezing winter in Lima—eight to be exact. Like many of her former Glee clubbers, she had no plans of staying in Lima for the rest of her life. Two years following graduation, while visiting some California university campuses, Mercedes was approached by an agent for Warner Bros. record label. Her voice was heard during a UCLA music scholarship competition, and while she had not received the scholarship, she _was _offered the start of her rising success as a recording artist.

Those same final two years in Lima, fellow McKinley alum Sam Evans enrolled in the local community college, taking music and writing courses. His initial pursuit was songwriting, but over time he grew more interested in the aspect of creating audio rather than writing lyrics. In his second year of attending classes, one of his music professors noticed his knack for creating unique rhythms and music samples. After Sam revealed his dyslexia, his professor suggested that he might have been subconsciously using it as a tool for approaching music composure, rather than considering it a disability. As he increased his knowledge of arranging sheet music and using pro tools and mixers, he also maintained a strong relationship with Mercedes. Upon Mercedes' news about departing for California, she and Sam wondered if they could make their relationship work long distance. Neither of them wanted to end things as they had before the start of their senior year, but back then they were only a few hours from each other. Could they handle being in entirely different time zones?

Blessings seemed to befall them during this window of their life because they hadn't spent more than a few months apart following Mercedes' move to LA. Sam saved up to fly out and visit her while she was in the midst of recording her first record—an album entirely of covers, humorously titled, "Mercedes Jones: Under the Covers". While in the studio, Sam and Mercedes bumped into famous composer Danny Elfman. He chatted in the studio's main hallway with the star-struck young adults and by the end of the conversation, Sam had charmed Mr. Elfman and later earned himself a job, assisting with the score for Tim Burton's latest re-make.

Their ten years following graduation had not all been smooth-sailing however. As Mercedes' career started to blossom in LA, her biological father had surfaced and tried to connect with her. His impromptu appearance in her life brought on an irritable amount of stress for herself, her older brother and her mother—who had re-married two years after Mercedes moved to California. The tension of his presence and the media circus that he was conducting, threatened to tarnish Mercedes' new arrival on the music scene. Eventually his harassing escapades escalated to three different restraining orders being issued to him by the family he walked away from, many years ago.

For Sam, his greatest struggle hit him, seven years after he joined Mercedes in LA and pursued his own music-making career. It was hard for both of them at first—being so far from their families—but he wasn't prepared to be told his mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The severity of the disease wasn't determined, but they did know that she would be having surgery soon. The weeks following that news, he grappled with staying in California and moving back to Kentucky for good. At the age of 27, he'd acquired a greater income than he ever imagined he would have at that young of an age. And every day he was grateful because it allowed him to fulfill his dream of providing for his parents. Some days he would tell himself that staying in California and sticking with his work was the best way to help his family. On other days, he was convinced that being physically close to his parents and siblings would provide them better support. Between his family, Mercedes, Ms. Jones, and their friends, Sam had been talked into staying, but all of them encouraged him to visit often.

Through their strife, Mercedes and Sam stuck by one another and provided support for each other, allowing them to pull through together and continue thriving in their relationship as well as their careers. Sam was able to earn the job of scoring the second and final _Avatar_ sequel by the year 2018—another dream come true for him. He received praise from the Academy, nominating his work for best score at the 2019 Academy Awards. Although he hadn't won, the nomination put him on an intangible high. And though music composure and production was his main focus, he still carried his love of comics and voice impressions with him and was occasionally offered voice-acting parts in various animated films. Mercedes released her cover album, as well as three other albums over the past decade. She toured around the U.S., and Europe for her first two albums, and then expanded her tours to Australia and Asia for her last two albums. Collectively, her albums earned her nine BET Awards, four MTV Moon Men, seven Teen Choice Awards, and five American Music Awards. Tonight, she was attending what had been the most important night of her musical career to date.


	2. Unforgettable Night

_**February 13, 2022**_

Out of all the visits Kurt and Blaine made to southern California, this had been one of the most important thus far to happen. This time, Kurt made a solo trip out to California, flying into the LAX and arranging for a ride to Beverly Hills for his brief stay. He'd flown in the evening before Mercedes' big night—three nominations at the 64th annual Grammys—and ended up getting roped into some work before joining his friends. With all of the pre and post Grammys parties happening in and around the city of angels, it was already determined that his trip would be anything less than demanding of his event-planning expertise. But his priority on this visit hadn't been business for him; it was about his oldest and closest friend.

While Kurt took care of business around the star-studded city, Mercedes spent the hours prior to the big night getting ready. In between errands, Sam treated her to a massage before her at-home hair and nail appointments arrived. The stylist renewed her medium length weave and gathered it in a curly bun while her nail beautician gave her a clean French tip manicure. During some down time, she picked up her phone and made a video call to northern California residents, Tina and Mike Chang. She loved the instant Skype-like feature most phones now had—especially when she was making long distance calls. Mike spoke to her briefly before Tina stole the phone from him and held their three-year old son up to be in sight of the screen.

"Are you gonna wish Aunt 'Cedes good luck, Mikey?" Tina asked, looking at the toddler.

The pint-sized replica of Mike sucked in an enthusiastic breath and bellowed, "Good luck Aunt 'Cedeeees!"

Mercedes giggled softly, "Thank you sooo much Mach 3!"

Tina giggled as well, "Sam got you calling him Mach 3 now too?"

The singer shrugged at her phone, "It grew on me. Plus it's kind of a cute nickname with him being born so fast, _and_ he's the third 'Mike' in a row. How's his little brother or sister doing by the way?"

Once she set Mikey down, Tina tilted the screen to show her rounded stomach where her free hand was rubbing. Mercedes heard her say, "Doing good. Just a couple more months to go!"

"Mercedes, help! She's gonna kill me!" Mike shouted somewhere in the background, sounding severely desperate.

"Oh, right," retorted Tina with a roll of her eyes and some head shaking. Mike laughed aloud while Tina went on to say, "Anyways, I've been trying to get things together at the boutique for the time that I'm gone. I think my assistants can handle it but not being in the shop at the start of spring is gonna be killer, but in between the baby's naps I might be able to work on some designs for autumn. You and Sam are coming up for the shower next week, right?"

"Girl, you _know_ I'm not gonna miss it. I can't speak for Sam but if it means sparing Mike from getting roped into baby shower games, I'm sure he'll come too. They'll probably go to a basketball game or something. But would you pleeeeease make my baby-spoiling job easier and tell me what you guys are having?"

"Ah, ah, no way Mercedes. You'll find out at the shower just like eeeveryone else. But for now, go get yourself a Grammy!"

Grinning brightly, Mercedes joked, "Okay, okay if you insist." She blew a kiss at the tiny camera, "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. We'll be watchiiiiing," sang Tina before their call ended.

Feeling light, giddy and anxious, Mercedes then called her mom and stepfather, her brother, Sam's parents and Stacey, and Stevie—who had been away on training for the Navy. While the calls were all brief, all of them wished her the best that evening. By the time she finished said calls, it was time for her to get dressed. Sam returned from running his errands in time to zip her up in a glimmering gold and white swirling-patterned, one-shoulder gown that was very becoming of her. Beyond her hips, it donned asymmetrical layers that fishtailed two feet across the floor. In return for his help, she helped adjust his tie and cuffs, and the two departed to pick up their friend.

As a trio, they rode in Sam's hybrid SUV down to the Staples Center. During the drive, Mercedes pulled out her phone to check her text messages. One was from Mrs. Evans, wishing her the best. The singer looked up from her phone and asked, "Have you talked to your mom today?"

A slight flinch made Sam avert his gaze from the road briefly, but he quickly returned it to the windshield. After one pursed-lipped swallow, he answered, "Yeah, while I was out. She said she was good but she sounded tired so I didn't talk to her too long. She told me she, Dad and Stacey would be watching you tonight so I'm sure you'll get a call from them tomorrow if they didn't already." His lips pulled up into a soft smile, "They're all really proud of you."

Mercedes heard the fraudulent cheer in his tone; she reached for his hand and when he permitted her to hold it, she rested it in her lap with both her hands surrounding it.

Kurt, who was on the phone during the brief discussion, wrapped up his call and then slipped his phone into the inner pocket of his tux jacket. "That was Blaine. He sends his love and best wishes, although we're both convinced you'll be walking out with at least one Grammy tonight. And if not then they're crazy."

"Don't jinx me!" Mercedes grinned, growing excited all over again. "But thank you."

Sensing her anxiety, Kurt snapped his fingers thoughtfully to start a subject change. "Hey did you know they're finally bringing _The Princess and the Frog_ to Broadway, right?"

"Really?"

"It's about time," Sam chimed in.

"Mhm! Blaine told me the other day. He and I really think you should come to New York and audition for Tiana. You'd be a shoe-in. Besides when's the last time you were on _that_ kind of stage?"

Mercedes threw her head back and let out one girlish chuckle, "Oh man, not since _Rocky Horror_."

"Which we didn't even really get to perform," recalled Sam. "Not in front of an audience at least."

"It was a lot of fun though," said Mercedes.

"Yeah. Sam, remember those gold shorts you had to wear for Rocky?"

"Oh God, yes!" laughed Mercedes before Sam could answer. She looked at him, noted his face going red and quickly bit down on her lip. "I'm not sure that it's something _he_ tries to remember though."

Kurt sipped back some water from a bottle and adjusted his sunglasses. "But really, Mercedes consider the audition."

"Are you sure there's no ulterior motive, Kurt?" Sam asked with a grin, eyeing Mercedes.

Appearing innocent as ever, Kurt balked, "Like what?"

Smiling back at her boyfriend, Mercedes answered, "Like luring Sam and I out to NYC for a visit."

"Weeeell Lizzie does miss her Uncle Sammy and Aunt Cede."

Mercedes giggled and awed, and Sam smiled. "Mercedes and I miss her too. We've just been so busy, but I promise we'll be out there to visit."

Before the conversation could carry on further, the bright red Staples Center moniker appeared ahead of them. Once security let Sam's SUV through to the valet, the three got out of the car to walk the red carpet. Kurt lingered behind as Sam offered his bent arm to his girl. Mercedes threaded her own arm through and together they met the flashing bulbs of the sea of photographers. At one point, there was an overwhelming request for solo pictures of Mercedes.

"Ms. Jones!"

"Over here!"

"Give us a smile, Ms. Jones!"

"Who are you wearing, Mercedes?"

With her hands on her hips, Mercedes popped one shoulder toward the cameras, tipped her chin up and grinned. "Christian Siriano," was her answer to the question. She felt amazing, and being in a familiar situation such as the red carpet did wonders to calm her nerves.

Once inside, she, Sam and Kurt sat beside one another during the show. Midway through the night, the two men joined the audience in clapping for her revived cover of, "I Will Always Love You" at the end of the _In Memoriam_ tribute—a song that had not been heard on the Grammy stage in almost exactly one decade. But her greatest swell of support came when the timeless Mary J. Blige presented her with the Grammy for the year's Best R&B Vocal Performance.

Mercedes, after overcoming the initial shock, lowered her hand from her face and automatically twisted to her left to peck her boyfriend on the lips. And as she rose from her seat, Kurt pulled her into a fierce yet jovial hug, and then stepped aside as she gathered up the skirt of her gown to get out of the row and to the stage for her award. She received another hug from the superior R&B female artist before turning to the podium. The crowd clapped profusely for her which made her fight against her tears one hundred times harder. Finally she mustered up the will to ramble quickly and adorably through her speech: to thank God, her mom and brother; Sam—"I love you honey," was interjected there—her best friends, her manager and last but not least, her fans. Her final words were, "You know, I like to wear necklaces—especially ones that say and mean something. Tonight I wore one," she touched her hand to her collar, "that says 'dream' because being right here has always been my dream, so thank you all for helping me make it come true. Don't give up, dreamers!" And as she thrust the award high above her head, she trilled, "God bless!"

She followed the music vet off the stage and was ushered to a back room for a brief interview and photos of her with her award. One photographer asked her, "How's it feel winning your first Grammy?"

Hearing the words made Mercedes grin wider, "I just…it's—I'm speechless!"

"You weren't just a minute ago!" teased another photographer, causing everyone to laugh.

One journalist asked, "Any advice to the aspiring artists out there?"

Mercedes brows came together even though she was still smiling. "Um…you mean besides what I said about dreams? Just work hard, don't give up, and appreciate the love and support in your life."

"And who was that for you, Mercedes?"

Without hesitation she answered, "God, my mom and stepdad, my brother, my boyfriend, my best friends and my manager. Who else?" And after finishing with a sassy smirk, she took a few more photos and left to return to her seat.

After the music-honoring show ended, she, Sam and Kurt attended Clive Davis' hotel after party together. Of the trio, Kurt was the only fully sober one, and the time zone difference had him retiring to his suite early that evening. Sam downed a glass of champagne when Mercedes had been toasted for her success and Mercedes helped herself to enough beverages to give her a light buzz. They danced and chatted with fellow winners, nominees and other Grammy attendees for several hours. At one point in the early hours of the morning, a still athletically-built Sam found Mercedes, wound his arms from behind and whispered a reminder in her ear that it was officially Valentine's Day, and that she probably wouldn't want to spend her little time with Kurt hung over tomorrow morning. Her response was a pout but she agreed and decided at two that it was probably best to call it a night.

Once the valet located Sam's tinted Tahoe, he and Mercedes made their leave for the night, ignoring the blinding bulbs of the paparazzi hailing them from the exterior of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! They're always appreciated! :)<strong>_


	3. Odd Behavior

_**February 14**__**th**__**, 2022**_

The drive to their condo wasn't terribly far from the hotel, but the short ride had been entirely blissful for Mercedes. She looked over to her boyfriend and simply smiled while taking in his features as she would often do these past 10 years. Since high school, Sam's voice had deepened a fraction and he had gained a bit more weight, but it was all muscle. Working out was always a regular thing for him, regardless of how busy he would sometimes get. When it came to facial appearance, he never donned anything past a weak five o'clock shadow but that was rare. He varied his hairstyle every so often as well; sometimes he cropped the back short and left the top long. Once, he went to the barber and came back with an army style buzz cut. A two word response from Mercedes kept him from ever duplicating this action: "_Never_ again." Currently the length of his dirty blond crop all stopped at his earlobes. Mercedes liked this best because, depending on how he'd style it, it would take her back to their junior prom. However, given the formalities of the evening's occasion he had lightly gelled and combed it back and out of his face, giving him a more polished look to match his sheer black tux.

"I know I already said this," spoke Mercedes with a wide smile, "but you look really handsome tonight."

During his light drumming of the steering wheel, Sam smiled softly and returned the gazing whenever a red light or traffic would allow. In his eyes, Mercedes hadn't changed much either since high school. Physically, she had trimmed off some weight—enough that it was noticeable but not enough for her to lose her voluptuous curves. It hadn't been a conscious effort on her part, however in the years that she and Sam were together, she came to enjoy working out with him from time to time. Still, she had been very vocal to her boyfriend and the media about being a positive role model for full-figured girls and not wanting to turn into a, "size Twig" as she phrased it. Her confidence and comfort in her own skin was something that Sam had always loved about her though, and he had gotten a good laugh out of her new size term. Something else that hadn't changed about her was her love of being fashionable, as well as changing her own hairstyles. Some days she had bangs, and some days she had highlights; sometimes she would crimp or curl her weave and on rare occasions she would ditch a weave altogether and flaunt her large, natural spiraling curls. But no matter what look she donned, Sam had never seen her walk out of their condo looking anything less than her best.

Thinking about all of this made Sam's smile grow. "And you took my breath away tonight, Benz." He removed his right hand from the steering wheel and reached across the dividing panel to grab her hand.

At the sound of her nickname, Mercedes smile widened. She removed her left hand from the gold phonograph in her lap—which now had her name engraved on it—and slipped her dark fingers between his pale set. Both of them curled their digits over the other's knuckles. Simultaneously, Mercedes picked up her award and thrust it in the air while childishly shouting, "My first Grammy! Woooo!"

Sam grinned and chuckled at her. As if it were the most natural thing, Sam hiked his voice up an octave and imitated comic sidekick, Robin and said, "Holy music trophy, Batman!"

At that, Mercedes snorted, followed by hissing a snarky laugh. The snort made Sam laugh with and at her, but she'd carried on the guffawing longer than he had. After a full minute of laughing, the singer began to collect herself again and she and her beloved prattled on about the evening's highlights and performances.

"Are you okay?" Mercedes asked when their conversation died down.

"Yeah?" Sam asked, brows furrowed.

"Then why's your leg twitching so much?"

Sam looked down at his left leg while had been bobbing up and down incessantly. He stopped it immediately, "Oh, um…I dunno."

He saw her eyeing him but pretended not to notice while he sought a fast subject change.

Upon arriving at the front gate of their condo complex, Sam flashed a resident badge at the security guard sitting in the booth. The guard nodded and pressed a button that permitted the gates to open. Neither Sam nor Mercedes had been particularly fond of living in such a, secluded area, but with Mercedes' acquired stardom and his fame from recent successes, came a struggle for privacy.

Once inside their spacious condo, Sam flicked on a light switch so that could navigate the home properly. Right away, his hand went to the silk tie around his neck as he toed his shoes off.

"Sam I keep telling you you're gonna scuff the backs if you take them off like that," Mercedes chided while walking ahead of him to set her Grammy down.

He shrugged, "I'm not worried. I don't think anyone's looking that hard at my shoes anyhow."

"I am," challenged his girlfriend.

He smiled and muttered, "Says the modern day Imelda."

Mercedes scoffed defiantly, "I heard that. I do _not_ have that many shoes."

Sam paused in the entry way hall, staring dubiously at the curvy woman. Without saying another word, he crossed the hall and seized her wrist without breaking stride. He heard Mercedes giggle and protest his actions, but it didn't stop him. Not until they were in their bedroom did he come to a halt and let her wrist go.

"Okay, okay you made your point!" she insisted, backing away from the closed accordion doors where he brought them. She sat on the bed to remove the strappy silver pumps she'd worn that night.

"Ohhh no," Sam argued with a smirk, "I don't think I have yet." With that, he pulled the knobs on the doors, causing them to fold back and reveal a large, walk-in closet. When he flicked that light on, there shown a variety of suits, dresses, tops and neckwear hanging on the racks that lined the walls. Below the racks however several well-stocked shelves were exposed, full of shoes of every kind: heels, sandals, boots, flats, tennis shoes, slippers and high tops-galore. Of them all, only two shelves housed Sam's shoes.

Mercedes stuck her tongue out with a now brazened gaze and stated, "And I take care of each and every one of them, so there."

The blond laughed while closing the closet door again, "Yeah, you do." He strut across the spongy carpet and grabbed his girlfriend in a sweeping embrace, triggering another trill of giggles from her.

"Boy you better put me down!"

Sam grinned and kissed the top of her head before letting her toes touch the ground again. "Come on—let's go get cleaned up and get to bed. It's Valentine's Day, remember?"

"I know," she sighed with a smile. "If it wasn't, I'm sure Kurt would stay out here longer. But I'm sure he wants to get back to Blaine and Lizzie."

The composer made an agreeing, "Mmm," that sounded like he agreed with her. As they stood in their bathroom undressing themselves, Sam paused for a moment, grinned and tickled his girl's bare side.

"Stop it," she demanded with her laughs. "What's wrong with you?"

He chuckled, loving her laugh, and ignored her question. "So you're an official Grammy winner. What now, Ms. Jones?"

"Well," A smiling Mercedes draped her gown across the sink counter and leaned in the shower to turn it on. "I think I wanna relax for a bit—from the music at least. Go visit our families and friends for a while and—"

Sam perked a brow at her, "_You _want to relax?"

He dodged a swat from his beloved while smiling innocently, "What? I'm just surprised. But at the same time I'm not, and I'm actually glad to hear you say that. I'm gonna have some free time for a while, so I wanted us to go out Kentucky."

While tucking her hair under a cap, Mercedes met anxious green-hued gaze. "Yeah, that sounds good. You remember Tina's baby shower is next week, right?"

"Yeah, Mike and I have tickets to the Warriors/Bulls game," Sam answered. He placed all of his clothes on top of Mercedes' gown and underwear but knocked over a ceramic cup where their toothbrushes stood.

"What was that?" Mercedes asked from under the fall of the water.

"Nothing!" Sam quickly replied as he righted the cup and then followed her into the shower.

The composer took in his girlfriend's gaze while they stood on the tile floor together, letting the hot water pour over their skin and relax their muscles. Without having to speak it, he could see the concern and love blended in her chocolate hues. When the water started trickling from his soaked hair, down his forehead and into his eyes, Sam bowed his head, holding Mercedes close, and nuzzled his nose in the groove of her neck. "I'm really proud of you tonight, Benz. I mean, I'm always proud of you, y'know? But I'm really proud of y—"

"Thank you, Babe," she said after pressing an index finger to his lips. "For always, always being there every step of the way. I love you. And…I think making a trip to Kentucky soon would be great."

He felt Mercedes' fingertips slip in between his forest of blond roots, helping to free the sophisticated `do he'd worn for the night. Her grip on his hair tightened when he started crooning Spanish into her ear.

"_Te amo mi estrella querida_…"

"Sam," she groaned.

"…_Y es por ti que di a mi corazon_."

"Tempting as this is," she breathed, "If you keep this up we're not gonna get any sleep tonight—I guarantee you."

He grinned against her smooth, dark skin and left a kiss there before raising his head. "_No lo siento_."

She giggled softly at him, "I know you're not. And I don't want you to be sorry."

They gazed adoringly at each other for a while longer, kissed, and then eventually got around to cleaning up. When they finished, Mercedes wandered out of the bathroom, holding her towel to her chest. Sam lingered in the bathroom a bit longer, ruffling his towel through his hair.

"You coming, Sam?" Mercedes called softly.

"Yeah," he answered, "I'll be there in a sec." He reached up to wipe the steam off of a portion of the mirror to gaze at his reflection. While inhaling a deep breath, he lowered his gaze thoughtfully. So much had happened in his life—sometimes he needed to just breathe and retire himself in gratitude. As he took in one more deep breath, his girlfriend called to him again.

"Babe, have you seen my nightcap? It's not on the bed. You didn't stick it in with your socks again did you?"

Sam's head snapped up, recalling the laundry he'd put away that morning. He had a habit of carelessly sticking small clothing articles in their top drawers. This time, he'd done it but definitely hadn't meant to. The next moment, he came sprinting out of the bathroom, lost his balance (and his towel) and tumbled down beside their dresser at Mercedes' feet.

Her hand paused on his sock drawer as she stared incredulously down at him. "The hell—what are you _doing_?"

Huffing a few short breaths he said, "I uh…I tripped. But no it's not in there. Did you check the nightstand on your side of the bed?"

Still giving him a questionable stare, Mercedes said, "Oookay. It wasn't that urgent Sam." She shook her head and turned to wander around to the other side of the bed.

Quickly, Sam scrambled to his feet and jerked his sock drawer open as quietly as possible. Sitting on top was Mercedes' silver nightcap. He plucked it out and closed the drawer. "Oh! Woops, never mind—here it is!"

Mercedes looked to him with an arched brow when he shuffled over to hand it to her. "Um…thanks."

He cast a nervous, crooked smile at her and then promptly returned to his dresser to grab some pajama pants to throw on. Meanwhile, Mercedes slipped on her nightcap and pulled a short silk nightgown.

As per usual, the couple climbed into bed together and cuddled into one another. Sam hitched a leg over Mercedes' hip and trailed his fingertips along the contours of her jaw. "Sleepy?" he asked.

Mercedes nodded and twisted her body into her love while her hands slid around his torso. "I'll be asleep in no time."

"That's good—I mean you should be tired after today."

Her eyes studied him, and noticed something off; something restless in his gaze. After stifling a yawn her forehead creased, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah the fall wasn't that bad."

"No, I wasn't talking about the fall. I mean are you okay in general?"

For a moment Sam's brows furrowed, and in that moment he pretended not to know why she was asking. "Yeah I'm fine, why?"

The creases in her forehead deepened, "You've been acting funny since we left the hotel."

He quietly scoffed, "No I haven't."

This time she lowered her face into his bare chest and let herself yawn. "Yes you have," she mumbled back, shutting her eyes.

"I think you're just tired," he said—his voice dripping with a patronization. "Just go to sleep, _estrella querida_."

"You know," she mumbled against his skin, "if you weren't so comfy to snuggle into, I'd kick your butt right now."

Sam chuckled darkly, "I love you too."

He knew Mercedes didn't take long to fall asleep—even on her most excited nights. In about ten minutes' time her breaths fell into a slow, deep pace. A few minutes later, she was lightly snoring—just what he was waiting to hear. While keeping his eyes locked on his love, Sam carefully unhinged his long limb from Mercedes' hip, and then he carefully pried her arms from around him. She stirred for a moment, causing his heartbeat to pick up, but after she turned over and settled back down, He let out a silent breath of relief and rolled stealthily out of the bed.

Something else was waiting in the sock drawer for Mercedes, and he knew it was time for her to have it.

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More is to come! :)<strong>_


	4. Remember the Time

_**February 14, 2022**_

The morning sun illuminated the Jones-Evans master bedroom. Of the room's four walls, the majority of one was made up of sliding glass doors, but the blinds were drawn back. The ceiling above was high with rustic gold crown molding that complimented the cream-colored walls, which hosted a few meaningful frames. One wall held a framed collage of programs and tickets from events Sam and Mercedes attended together over the years—from awards shows and premiers, to sporting events and their friends' theatrical productions. Another large frame hosted endearing photos of the couple from a photo shoot they had done to commemorate their fifth year of dating. The final one was a split frame of the two with both their families. Sam hadn't been terribly concerned with the décor, but Mercedes absolutely enjoyed putting together an eye-appealing pallet. The bedroom furniture shared a similar, golden brown hue—their dressers, nightstands, bed frame, clothes hamper and other oddities were varying in this shade. All of this flattered the bold splash of purple, covering the bed where Mercedes now lay.

She stirred from her sleep—her mind gradually resurfacing to consciousness. Her body was more interested in staying in bed, but her mind remembered the date and for that, it fought and won the urge to go back to sleep. It also helped that the smell of coffee awakened her senses. When Mercedes opened her eyes, her body was curled towards the middle of the bed and her lower limbs were tangled in the sheets. "Sam?" she croaked, groggily wondering where her boyfriend was. As she stretched her right hand across the empty right half of the bed, her left hand raised to cover her oncoming yawn. An unusual weight came with the movement of her left hand however. She blinked slowly and moved her hand away from her mouth only to see a gold-banded, marquise diamond glinting on her finger.

For one beat, Mercedes' heart stopped. _How in the world?_ she thought to herself. She sat up against the cluster of pillows and pulled her nightcap off without taking her eyes off of the ring. From her peripheral vision however, she spotted her muscular beau leaning against the bathroom door frame nearby whose stoic appearance quickly stole her attention. She could see that he'd already tamed his bed head, but he was still sporting his nightwear. In one hand, he held a steaming mug of coffee; in the other hand, his fingers pinched the stem of a plum-colored calla lily.

"Sam!" she exclaimed—her voice layered with a new startled tone. The singer glanced down at the ring again while breathing shallowly, and tried to keep any anxious tremors from her voice as she held up the back of her left hand to him. The next words out of her mouth came out as if he had gloved her entire hand in jewels. "What is this?"

Though he knew that she knew exactly what it was, he ambled nervously to her side with the coffe and calla lily in his hands. "It was a little over 10 years ago. We'd just left the choir room after Mr. Schue told us he was going to propose to Miss Pillsbury and set the week's assignment. I asked you if you thought you were gonna get married some day. And you said to me—"

"'After I win my first Grammy'," repeated Mercedes with an awestruck whisper.

Sam took a deep breath and sighed, still anxious but smiling. "Exactly." He set the coffee on the nightstand and placed the calla lily beside his woman so his hands were free to hold hers. "Mercedes, I love you…so much. You're smart… funny…beautiful, sassy, sexy, talented…and so loving. For as long as I've known you, you've stood up for what you've believed in. You've stood by your family and friends with earnestness, honesty and love. You're _real_. You've been there for me through the good and the band, and you've let me do the same for you. And I promise I'll continue being the best friend, the best lover, the best partner—the best everything that I can be that you deserve in a husband." Through his soft-spoken speech, Sam's voice was shaking, but he got through it with a twitchy smile. Finally, he lowered himself to one knee and asked, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

As Mercedes fixed her eyes on his, he sustained a crooked smile and added, "Will you marry me someday? 'Cause you know, I'm still in touch with this guy who's great at impressions and is totally into you."

"Sam, stop," she said, only this time it was with a grin and a pair of misty eyes. She shook her head at him, musing while she softly coughed a laugh, "Sam Evans, I hope you know you're still crazy. And I still love that about you—that and much more."

She threw her gaze skyward to resist the forming tears and then looked back to him, "Yes."

"Yes?" Sam echoed back with a growing grin.

"Yes!" she repeated while rising from the bed, "Yes, a million times, yes!"

The newly engaged man sprung to his feet, simultaneously clasping his arms around his fiancée's waist to twirl her in the air. He felt her cling to him while shrieking and laughing, "Oh my God!" and when he let her go again, her back was flat on the mattress. Sam hovered over her and lowered his face to press a kiss on her lips.

Mercedes started to kiss him back, but she broke the kiss early, pressing both hands against his chest. When Sam pulled back in confusion, she told him, "Hang on-your breath's all sorts of minty fresh and mine's not."

"So?" Sam shrugged, clearly too ecstatic to care.

Mercedes shook her index finger at him, "Uh-uh, that's nasty. Let me brush my teeth and _then_ we can give each other all the kisses we want."

With an exaggerated sigh and a playful scowl, Sam rose from the bed and helped her up. While Mercedes went to freshen up, Sam rolled across the bed to his side and grabbed his phone. After checking the time and assuming that his parents would be up by now, he made a video call to their land line. His dad's face showed up on the third ring.

The elder Mr. Evans had passed many of his physical features on to his eldest son—the same green eyes, narrow nose, slightly rounded jaw line, athletic build and lop-sided smile. The greatest differences between their features were his shoulder-length grey and blond locks, a thinner pair of lips, and the increased number of aging lines around his eyes and mouth. Through the stress that's come and gone over the years, however, he still managed to find his warm-hearted smile, which was what Sam was greeted to now.

"Mornin', Son. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Yeah you have no idea," Sam joyfully replied as he mounted his phone on its stand to steady the built-in camera.

"Did you do it?"

Somewhere in the distance, Sam heard his mother's voice ask, "Dwight, is that Sam?"

Sam watched his dad look over his shoulder and say, "Yeah."

"Oh! Hi Sammy!" she cried. Suddenly, she appeared beside her husband and smiled brightly at her son. "How did it go, sweetheart?"

Sam's smile grew at the sight of his mom. She always looked better every time he spoke to her, but today she'd also_ sounded _much livelier than when he'd made a regular call to her yesterday. Sure, there were flushed, gaunt circles under her eyes and the brittle strands of hair peeking out from under her hat were messy, but she was smiling and it was genuine. He could see her clinging to his dad's shoulders, waiting with eager anticipation for what he had to tell her.

"It was great, Mom—she loved it."

His dad nodded, "So I take it that means she said yes?"

Sam's head bobbed as a new wave of bliss swelled inside him. He was immediately recalling his unique proposal, just as his new fiancée emerged from the bathroom.

Her footsteps came around the bed as she asked, "Is that your mom and dad?"

"Hi Mercedes!" Mrs. Evans called just a split second over her husband.

The dark-skinned diva sat down beside Sam and leaned into him as she cheerfully replied, "Hi Mr. Evans! Hi Mrs. Evans—Happy Valentine's Day!"

"You too, sweetheart!"

Dwight Evans smirked, "And congratulations, kiddo—on your Grammy _and_ your engagement."

"Thaaaank you!" Mercedes said while playfully nudging Sam.

Sam lifted her left hand and proudly showed his parents the ring. His mother happily gasped while his father jokingly cautioned Mercedes not to blind anyone with it. Right away, Mrs. Evans shot off a plethora of wedding questions for the couple: where were they going to have the wedding? When were they going to have the wedding? Have they thought of any colors? What kinds of flowers did Mercedes want for her bouquet? _That_ was the only question that both Sam and Mercedes had an answer to.

"Calla lilies," they responded together.

It wasn't until Mr. Evans pressed a kind hand over his wife's that the interrogation came to an end. "Mary, I think they're gonna just enjoy today before diving headfirst into wedding plans."

Sam and Mercedes chuckled as Mrs. Evans playfully pouted. "I know, I'm just so happy for you two! Mercedes have you called your folks yet?"

"No ma'am, you two are the first to know, I think."

Mrs. Evans squealed through a tightly clenched jaw and shook her husband's shoulders. She was like a teenager who found out her crush was going to ask her to the prom! "Okay well we'll let'cha go so you can call her 'cause I'm sure your mama's gonna want to know right away!"

After another giggle, Mercedes said, "You're right about that, Mrs. Evans."

"Congrats again you two. We'll talk to you both soon."

"Thanks Dad," said Sam, and with that, their call ended.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! :) I'd love to know what you all think so far! More is to come!<strong>_


	5. Seeing Red

_**Feb 14, 2022**_

The call to Mercedes' mom and stepdad had been similar to the one she and Sam had with the Evans. From there, they called up their siblings and friends to share the good news. With the exception of their immediate family, Kurt had by far been the most excited. "I would _love _to plan yours and Sam's wedding!" was his response while the three dined for lunch. He knew the question was coming and Sam and Mercedes were glad to have an acclaimed events planner as one of their closest friends. In the past couple of years, the media was calling Kurt, "The next David Tutera." They brought him to the airport around 1 that afternoon, knowing that their wedding would be in good hands.

Upon calling the Changs with the news, Mercedes not only asked Tina if she would be her matron of honor, but also asked if she would want to design her dress.

"Yes! Of course!" a hormonal Tina blubbered, right after bursting into tears. "I'm so happy for you and Sam!"

Two other McKinley alums they kept regular contact with were Santana Lopez and Brittany S. Pierce. The latter woman was in the middle of her second year of teaching kindergarten, while Santana had a rising career in politics. Ohio was one of the hand-full of states that had yet to legalize gay marriage, so she decided to bring her fiery personality into the ring of politics in order to make the change. Until it happened, she and Brittany remained faithful and loving partners to one another.

"God, your poor children," Santana teased on the phone. "Between you and Trouty, your kids are gonna have some mega-luscious lips."

"I'm never gonna live down that nickname, am I?" Sam asked with narrowed eyes as he emerged from the bathroom, overhearing Santana's response.

"Nope!" she promptly replied. "But in all seriousness, congrats you guys."

"Thanks Santana," they both said.

"So when's the big day?"

Mercedes looked to Sam, wanting to laugh. Everyone had asked them that and their response was always, "We don't know yet."

"Well, let us know when you find out. Britt and I will be there to make sure he doesn't swallow you whole at the altar."

"Always a pleasure, Santana," Sam sarcastically said.

She chuckled, "Later you two. Oh and congrats on the Grammy, Troubletone Jones. It's about time."

The only friends of theirs whom they hadn't spoken to directly were Rachel, Finn and Quinn. The couple left messages on all of their phones and hoped that they would hear back from them soon. By the time they finished their list of calls, Mercedes prepared an early dinner for them. She hummed her way through a salad toss while salmon baked in the oven. As per usual, Sam wandered in and out of the kitchen, leaving flirty kisses on her cheek or stealing cherry tomatoes out of the salad bowl—which always earned him a playful swat and empty threats from his fiancée.

Fiancée. The word coupled with the sight of his future wife made Sam feel like he was viewing Mercedes in a new light—a brighter light. Standing behind Mercedes, he leaned against the adjacent counter and folded his arms across his chest. His eyes looked up and down her backside while she ground some pepper over the top of the bowl. He knew he would never be able to explain it to her, but her acceptance of his proposal meant more to him than the words in his vocabulary. Prior to this morning, he didn't know his heart could feel _more_ love for Mercedes than he'd already felt. Yet here he was, basking in it entirely.

"Sam, can you set the table?" Mercedes turned and asked, plucking Sam out of his private swoon.

"Sure thing," he replied while hastily moving to the utensil drawer.

Minutes later the two were sitting down for dinner. As a Valentine's Day present to him—in addition to the dinner—Mercedes surprised Sam by telling him that in between her calls, she purchased two round-trip tickets for a week in Kentucky. After beaming a nose-crinkling grin, Sam thanked her with a kiss that eventually led to them wandering back to their bedroom.

* * *

><p>After another hot shower, Sam and Mercedes dressed for their evening plans. For the second night in a row, Sam suited up. This time, he was clad in dark grey three-piece with a scarlet tie; rather than styling his hair back with gel again however, he merely tidied his golden mane for the upcoming occasion.<p>

"Benz are you ready to go?" He pulled back the left cuff of his jacket to glance at his watch. "We're already running late!"

"I knowww," Mercedes called from the bathroom. "It's called 'Fashionably late' for a reason, Babe."

Sam's eyes gazed skyward at her sass but he was quick to think of how to bait her out, "Our ride's already here, _Mrs. Evans_."

His mouth quirked into a smile from saying it but a few seconds later, he saw Mercedes emerge with a smile of her own from hearing it.

"I like the sound of that."

"Get used to it," he murmured smartly. "You look beautiful by the way. Are you ready to go?"

Mercedes faced the mirror above her dresser to triple check her sensational make-up application, and then she looked down at herself to make sure everything was in place. From her chest to her knees, she was covered in a red, empire waist party dress. She shifted her weight from foot-to-foot to flaunt her sparkling crimson pumps and then looked up decidedly. "Yep, I'm ready! And thank you for the compliment."

She grabbed her small purse and headed arm-in-arm with Sam out of the condo. Beyond the driveway, a sleek black limo idled with the driver waiting at the rear door. He greeted the couple and opened the door for them—Mercedes stepping inside first—and then drove them to the Four Seasons Hotel. Both were already braced for the barrage of cameras and requests for attention.

One thing Mercedes could credit the paparazzi for was their hawk-like vision. Were they trained or something? She swore they could spot a balloon in space if it'd afford them money for the proof. Before she and Sam reached the lobby doors, several camera wielders started shouting things like, "Let's see the ring, Mercedes!"

"How'd you pop the question, Mr. Evans?"

"When's the big day?"

Neither answered the questions; they merely strode into the hotel, musing to themselves on their way to the Grand Ballroom. Upon entry, one photographer requested their photograph.

"Don't worry—I was hired for the occasion!" she cheerfully assured them while holding up a laminated badge that read, "Star Jones Annual Red Ball: Press".

Already standing behind his fiancée, Sam slid an arm around Mercedes as she turned into him slightly to pose. He smirked at the camera just as the flash went off.

"Beautiful! Thanks you two! And Happy Valentine's Day!" said the perky photographer before scampering away.

Inside, the large ballroom was practically bleeding red when they took notice of it all. In addition to the table cloths, the chair drapes, the orchestra and balloon bouquets, every celebrity floating about the room donned some shade of red in their formalwear. Most were swaying with partners to the twinkling of the grand piano at the opposite end of the ballroom. Others were standing about the skirts of the group, carrying on small conversations and munching on the refreshments.

Sam and Mercedes walked over to the refreshment table—red, heart-shaped cookies, fruit punch, red wine, water and a chocolate fountain—and helped themselves to a glass of fruit punch. At nearly the same moment, the two noticed a bright red box at the end of the table with small banner across the front that read, "Thank you for your donation."

Seasoned actress Zoe Saldana approached the end of the refreshment table and dropped a rectangular slip of paper inside slit at the top of the box. As she turned to rejoin the crowd, the petite woman spotted Sam beamed a smile and waved to him and Mercedes.

Sam bowed his head with a smirk and waved back just as Mercedes turned a wide-eyed, giddy grin on him.

"Oh my God, _Sam_!" she gaped.

"What?"

"That was Zoe Saldana! _Zoe Saldana_!" she reiterated in hushed excitement.

"Yeah I know," he answered coolly. "We've met."

When his fiancée's brows nearly shot up to her scalp, he fought back a laugh and reminded her, "_Avatar_ movies, remember? She's been in all of 'em."

A second later, Mercedes was lowering her head and pressing two fingers to the bridge of her nose. She grinned and sighed, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks now. "Right."

Sam let himself chuckle now, "You know, I don't think I've seen you geek over a celebrity like that since we met Adele."

"Hey, there's a short list of people I'm allowed to lose my cool in a good way over," she stated—her shamelessness returning.

"Oh really?" he curiously asked.

"Mhm. You'll know the rest if I meet them."

Sam laughed softly and set his drink down. "Come on, let's make our donation and have a dance."

Mercedes followed suit with her drink and followed Sam to the end of the table. Each of them wrote out a check and placed it inside the box, and then walked out towards the center of the ballroom together. On their way, they were greeted and seized by various actors, producers, artists, and songwriters—most of who either wished them both a Happy Valentine's Day or gave Mercedes congratulations on her Grammy win. Only a few noticed and inquired her engagement ring, to which she and Sam gave an honest answer about.

The pianist was covering Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky" by the time they had a moment to themselves, so Sam pulled Mercedes close with a secure arm around her waist. His other hand held hers while they swayed hip-to-hip to the smooth melody.

While staring up in her favorite sage irises, Mercedes' lips curled up. If asked, she couldn't count the number of times she had smiled that day. But every single smile that graced her face that day was thanks to Sam—that much she did know.

"What are you thinking about?" Sam asked her.

Her smile grew a content fraction as she softly answered, "Just…how happy I am. How happy you've made me today and so many days before now." She saw him faintly blush which only made her smile spread before concluding, "And how this has been the best Valentine's Day of my life."

Taking advantage of the slight boost her heels gave her, Mercedes raised herself an addition two inches and tipped her chin up for a kiss. Unfortunately her stature still kept her from being able to surprise him with a kiss while standing up, but luckily Sam was happy to close the gap.

With another swell in his heart, Sam murmured against her lips, "Likewise."

* * *

><p><em><strong>As always, please leave reviews! Let me know what you think so far! More is to come! :)<strong>_


	6. No Pressure

_**Feb. 19, 2022**_ (Saturday)

Over the course of the preceding week, Mercedes _and_ Sam had days that were anything but lax. For Mercedes, her manager and publicist filled her schedule with several interviews that surrounded her Grammy win. And Sam had been roped into the studio for a few days to make some final touches to a friend's film soundtrack. But their appearance at the Star Jones Red Ball had nearly everyone they encountered buzzing about whether or not the engagement rumors were true.

At first, they were tight-lipped, but both of them wanted to make sure that they were the ones to confirm it before the media rumors and speculations got out of hand. A simple tweet on the still-popular Twitter handled that. By the end of the week, a multitude of magazines hit the stands with different candid photos of the couple and headlines such as:  
>"'<em><strong>She said YES!' tweets her beau. R&amp;B singer Mercedes Jones engaged after Grammy win!<strong>_"  
>"<em><strong>1<strong>__**st**__** time Grammy winner to wed longtime boyfriend!**_"  
>"<em><strong>Singer and composer confirm engagement on Twitter!<strong>_"

The weekend following the Grammys, however, they put their focus on celebrating the approaching birth of the newest Chang. With their bags packed, they made an early drive on the 101 upstate, heading straight for San Francisco. During the drive, they took advantage of their alone time to discuss some of the questions Sam's mother broached on Valentine's Day.

"So have you been thinking about where the wedding should be?" Sam asked while munching on some Jack-In-The-Box curly fries.

Mercedes took one hand off the steering wheel long enough to slip her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose. She turned a very frank gaze on the blond and then said, "Please—you know I have. I've talked about my wedding fantasies with you before. But what about yours? Where do _you_ wanna get married at?"

Sam tucked his lips in and shrugged—his cheeks turning a pale shade of pink.

"Oh don't gimme that, Evans," Mercedes snapped with a poke to his shoulder. "C'mon. I really wanna know. This is gonna be both our wedding after all."

From behind his aviator shades, Sam side-eyed his fiancée. He didn't know why he was being so secretive about hopes when it came to getting married—especially with Mercedes of all people. She was the one who should know more than anyone, shouldn't she?

"Alright," he started, sticking the empty fry box back in the bag. "You remember a while back when we went to Lexington to look at houses with my family?"

"Yeah?"

"Well when you were walking around the grove in the back with my mom…" He hesitated, feeling a bit self-conscious about his admittance but went on anyway. "I had this moment where I saw us getting married out there." In the midst of his answer, Sam's mind recalled the memory from six years ago, when his parents found their new home.

_It had been a good day for everyone—especially for him, who had been so happy about finally getting his parents and siblings out of the cramped house they'd previously lived in. It was his first major expense of his life; he knew what it meant to his family. Around sunset, he was coming out of the empty barn and spotted his mom and girlfriend walking down a row of lemon trees. He cast a satisfactory smile at the sight of them and casually strolled up to lean against the wooden fence that divided the barn from the rest of the house. All of a sudden, the ranch rang in Mercedes' infectious laughs. He didn't know what was so funny then, but seeing her laugh so freely under the glow of the summer sunset…it became a memory he'd hoped he would never forget_.

Mercedes' cheeks lightly dimpled as she let his sincere tone resonate with her. _Where had he been at that moment?_ she briefly wondered. Mrs. Evans was telling her a story about when she and Sam's father had been dating and how he'd boldly embarrassed himself for her. Mercedes couldn't help herself from laughing—mostly because that seemed to be a trend in the Evans family—but she had no idea Sam had even been outside when it happened.

"Why wouldn't you want to tell me about that?" she quietly asked.

Sam shrugged again, "Partly because I've never told anyone about that, or what it meant to me. But mostly because I just want you to have the wedding of your dreams. I know weddings are usually all about the bride anyway, and there isn't much that I need to happen when the day comes."

While staring serenely out the windshield, Mercedes asked, "So what do you _need _to happen when the day comes?"

"Not much—a green and orange topsy-turvy cake, a pillow shaped like the Starship Enterprise for the rings, and all the groom's men to wear X-Men suits under their tuxes…"

He looked to his fiancée to see her face wiped clean of amusement, and beamed all his teeth at her.

Mercedes raised an index finger at him for a few seconds, and as she lowered it her head turned. "Okay, there is _no_ way any of that is appearing at our wedding."

Sam's chest was trembling with noiseless laughs; he didn't vocalize them until Mercedes repeatedly poked the hell out of his side.

"A green and orange cake and a _Star Wars_ pillow?"

"_Star Trek_," Sam corrected through his snickering.

"Whatever!" Mercedes spat as a grin finally leaked across her face. "Sam I'm serious—tell me."

He seized her wrist and guided her hand back on the steering wheel while settling down again, "I just need the people we love and care about to be there, celebrating with us. That's it. As for what I want, there's three things. I want Stevie to be there. He's my brother and I want him as my best man."

Mercedes' grin fell into an understanding smile. She wanted Stevie there as well; he and Stacey were going to be her siblings-in-law on paper, but they had already felt like they were her brother and sister. It wouldn't feel right to have the ceremony without him. She opened her mouth to ask him a question but Sam went on to state his other two wedding wants.

"Number two is I don't want everything to feel uptight, y'know? I like some tradition, but I really just want us to have fun."

"Same," Mercedes agreed in an instant. "We gotta get our dance on at the reception."

"And the last thing I want is to take care of the honeymoon." He looked to his dark-skinned fiancée for her reaction to that. Her face scrunched up childishly and she topped it off with a pout.

"Does that mean I don't get to know?"

"Bingo!" he answered.

Her pout lasted for only a few more seconds before she composed herself again. She wiggled in her seat to sit a little taller and sweetly, she said, "That's okay."

Sam's brows arched, "Really?"

"Yep! Because I'm sure I'll get it out of you before the wedding."

"Tsh, if you say so, Benz."

* * *

><p>Unlike LA, the Bay Area weather resembled Lima winters—chilly and cloudy, but not unbearable. However, there was an oppressive heat inside the Chang house. Tina's final trimester had Mike and their son wandering the house in t-shirts and shorts, while she waddled about in layers. Mike did his best not to complain, mostly out of fear of getting kicked out of the bed (again), but frequent trips in the backyard to cool off helped to keep him from saying anything that might set her off. At the moment, he was in the shower while Tina and her mother were baking the last of the finger food for the afternoon.<p>

"Mommy! The door!" exclaimed Mikey as he came running into the kitchen. He collided with his mother's leg and tugged repeatedly on her yellow cotton dress. "Someone's here!"

Tina gasped and smiled at her son, "Ooo I wonder who it is, Mikey. You wanna go see?"

The toddler nodded, beaming his tiny teeth up at his mom. His smile widened when she hoisted him off the ground and held him against her hip while they went to the door together.

"I'll get it!" Mike called from upstairs.

"Too late," Tina said back with her hand on the door.

When she pulled it open, she gasped at the same time her arrivals grinned at her.

"Kurt! Blaine!" Her gaze then fled to the sleeping girl with her fingers curled to Blaine's shirt collar. "And Lizzie—oh my God, she's getting so big!"

"Hey Tina," whispered an ever-cheerful Blaine. At the present, he had a slightly less angular face than in high school, a longer crop of neat curls on his head and a thin goatee around his mouth, making him appear slightly older than his husband. One thing that hadn't changed, however, was his signature neckwear; today it was a blue, burgundy and black plaid bowtie. Both of his arms were supporting his and Kurt's only child, Elizabeth Grace Anderson, whom they adopted at birth. She was a slender, rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed little girl with thin, wispy auburn hair and faint brown freckles sprinkled on her nose.

"And who's the handsome prince on your hip, because I _know_ that can't be Mikey." Kurt playfully asked, eyeing the tot. The stylish male held back his shoulder bag and crouched to the boy's level at the same moment that Tina set him to his feet. "The last time I saw you, you could barely walk!"

Mikey quickly hid halfway behind her leg. The three friends quietly laughed at the little boy's shyness, but Tina scooted him out of her way so she could let the Anderson family inside. Minutes later, Sam and Mercedes arrived with a few of Tina's boutique staff trekking up the stairs behind them.

The group of friends chattered and started in on a couple of shower games. By the third game, Lizzie woke up from her nap; she rummaged through her daddy's bag to find her crayons and activity books, and talked Mikey into joining her. Mike and Sam took advantage of the kids' distracting cuteness to snag a few snacks and slip out for the basketball game. After Tina got through opening all of her gifts, her mom brought in a cake blanketed with yellow fondant.

"Tina _when_ are you gonna stop torturing us and tell us what you're having?" asked Mercedes.

Tina heaved out of her chair to stand by her mom and the cake. "Right now! I had the bakery dye the cake batter before they baked it. So if it's pink, it's a girl and if it's blue it's a boy."

"Okay, okay cut it!"

Right away, everyone started clapping and chanting, "Cut it! Cut it! Cut it!"

Tina giggled and took hold of the knife her mother handed her. She lowered it slowly into the soft texture. Kurt leaned across Mercedes' lap to try and catch a first glimpse but the black diva spotted blue crumbs stuck to the hilt of the knife as Tina pulled it out.

"It's a boy!" she cried happily.

"Damn!"

Mercedes, Blaine, Tina, her staff friends, and her mother turned their eyes on Kurt.

"What? I was hoping for a girl! Then Lizzie would have a gal pal to boss around when we came to visit."

Blaine smiled ruefully to Tina and placed a kind but reprimanding hand on his husband's shoulder.

Kurt ignored it however and shifted his blunt spotlight. "Which reminds me—Mercedes when are you and Sam gonna have a baby?"

Mercedes' eyes bulged, "Excuse me?"

Blaine's hand tightened on Kurt's shoulder, "Kurt, maybe this is something you can talk to her about later?" His gaze flickered back to Tina, "Congratulations Tina. Did you and Mike decide on a name yet?"

Previously frowning, Tina perked up, "Oh, yeah! Sawyer Cohen Chang."

"But I thought you dropped "Cohen" from your name when you got married."

"I did," said Tina. "'Cohen' is gonna be his middle name."

"Ohhh," Blaine and Mercedes said at the same time.

"Why Sawyer?" asked Kurt.

Tina shrugged, "I dunno. I like it."

The silent response from her friends made her hyper-sensitivity leak on her face again. But soon, Blaine, Mercedes and the boutique staff made sure to give an outpour of commendation for the baby's name.

* * *

><p>The shower attendees chatted about the games and gifts over cake until the boutique staff left. Mrs. Cohen-Chang gathered everyone's dishes to clean up in the kitchen while the topic of conversation reverted back to Mercedes—all thanks to Kurt again.<p>

"So what have you and Sam decided on about the wedding so far, Mercedes?" he asked while settling into his husband's side.

Blaine stared up at the ceiling, giving up on any more subtleties but Tina didn't seem to mind now. She was looking at Mercedes with just as much interest as Kurt.

Speaking to all three, Mercedes said, "Well Kurt—you're planning it. Tina's my matron of honor, and Sam wants his brother Stevie to be his best man. I'll probably have Stacey and Quinn be my bridesmaids. Maybe Rachel, but I dunno yet. And speaking of Quinn and Rachel, were they invited today too?"

Tina grimaced, "Yeah. I invited them both. I don't know if it was the best idea, and thinking about it now, that's probably why neither of them came. But Quinn told me she couldn't get a flight out here right now and Rachel said she was busy."

Dubious, Mercedes looked to Blaine, "Do you see much of Rachel?"

Blaine shook his head, "No. She and I haven't been in a show together in a while. Not since _Chicago_ closed. But ever since the divorce, it seems like she's been in overdrive with her need to perform."

"Which even I didn't think was possible for Rachel Berry," added Kurt.

Tina and Mercedes shared hollow chuckles at that, and Mercedes said, "Well I hope they can all set aside their differences for the wedding. I think we're going to have it in Kentucky."

"_Kentucky_?" Kurt and Tina barked in unison.

"Shhh!" interjected Blaine who pointed to Mikey and Lizzie—both of who were lying asleep on the living room's only loveseat.

Mercedes brown hues stared back and forth between her best friends. "Yeah? At Sam's parent's house—what's wrong with that?"

"Mercedes, do I need to remind you that you two live in _California_? And your best friends live in California and New York? Why in the world are you having your wedding in Kentucky?"

Kurt seemed to be taking it as though Mercedes told him she was getting married in a sewer. She felt a twinge of anger and had no problem in letting it show when she answered him.

"Um, maybe you forgot but Sam's family lives in Kentucky, Kurt. Like I just said. And it's not like we just threw on blindfolds, rolled out a map and picked the first place our fingers landed on."

Kurt sighed, "Yes, I know. It's just…when people think of the U.S., where are the places they think of first? New York, San Francisco, and LA-slash-Hollywood. _Maybe_ Miami."

Another twinge of irritation pricked the diva. "So what?"

"So you're a celebrity now, Mercedes!" an exasperated Kurt threw back. "I'm planning your wedding, remember? And I would advise you and Sam to think about somewhere a little more…glamorous than Kentucky."

"No!" she snapped, rising to her feet. Everyone else grew silent. "Sam and I don't want some big, overblown Kardashian wedding, and if that's what y'all were hoping for then you're gonna be real disappointed!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Mercedes saw Mikey stir. Instantly, she checked herself and sighed out the bulk of her upset. "Look, what's important to both Sam and I, is that our family and loved ones are there. I don't wanna invite everyone under the sun and I'm sure Sam doesn't either. We've done that in the past for career-related reasons but this is our _wedding_. None of you had huge weddings either." Her voice was just above a whisper now as she looked from Tina, to Blaine and finally Kurt as she said, "Tina you design clothes for the knowns and the unknowns and started some bangin' trends in the past few years. Blaine, Broadway would probably give you a Tony just for coming on the stage to sneeze. And Kurt, I don't need to tell you that your party planning skills are off the hook. You guys all know what that's like to have some fame and what the costs are to have it. If Sam and I can maintain some level of intimacy for our wedding day at least…it'd mean a lot to me."

Blaine offered a compassionate gaze while an emotional Tina looked like she was about to explode with tears. Kurt opened his mouth to say something but Tina's outburst momentarily halted him. She whimpered and threw her arms around the diva, hugging her as tightly as her protruding belly would allow. "Cedes, we're gonna make sure you and Sam have the best wedding ever! I promise! It's gonna be everything you want!"

Over Tina's shoulder, Mercedes' face scrunched slightly with confusion and amusement but she returned the hug to Tina and said, "Thanks for understanding, Tina."

"Tina's right," Kurt admitted and when Mercedes looked to him he added, "And so are you Mercedes. Blaine and I didn't have nearly the stardom you or Sam have now, when we got married but I do see your point. However…"

Tina finally let go of her best friend so she could look at Kurt again. The events planner bore a stoic gaze at both women for several dramatic seconds before smirking, "Your wedding is going to be the best wedding of the year. The guests and location might be demure but I know you Mercedes. The spectacle will be anything _but_!"

That was something Mercedes couldn't deny and her growing grin proved it. She might have matured in some ways over the years, but she still enjoyed the finer things—one of the many reasons she held no shame in being a diva.

* * *

><p>After they all helped Tina move the baby's presents upstairs, Kurt and Blaine gathered their things and prepared to say their farewells for the evening.<p>

"We still haven't checked into our hotel," said Blaine as he scooped a sleepy Lizzie into his arms.

"Us either," Mercedes told them. "Sam's gonna have to get dropped off at the hotel since he rode to the game with Mike. I'm getting tired and if the game's good, they'll be there all night."

The friends all took turns hugging Tina goodbye; Mercedes followed the Andersons out the door and veered to Sam's Tahoe. As she pulled on the handle, she heard Kurt's soft-spoken speech at her shoulder. "I get why Blaine deflected the attention during the shower, but it's over now, and I still want an answer to my question Mercedes."

The diva looked up at him. "What question?"

Kurt folded his arms and leaned against the SUV, "_When_ are you and Sam gonna have a baby?"

Mercedes clicked her tongue dismissively, followed by a sigh, "Who knows? We've only been engaged for a week!"

"I'm just saying. With Sam's paternal instincts towards his siblings and your natural mother hen-like tendencies, you two would be great parents. And I'm curious to know what the world will be like with a Mama and Mini Mercedes."

"Psh, you've met _my_ mom, right?" Mercedes sarcastically asked.

"You still want to have kids though, right?" asked Kurt, ignoring her question.

"Of course I do. But I don't wanna be fighting morning sickness while I'm trying to say 'I do'." In spite of what she was saying, her mind got imaginative and flashed a fantastical image of her and Sam coddling a swaddled baby. The thought made her start to smile but she shook her head and muttered, "It'll happen when it's meant to."

"No pressure." Kurt shrugged himself off the car and stalked off with a smirk. "Call me tomorrow."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hope you're all liking where this is going. LOTS more to come, I promise! I'm working on my pace, so I don't get ahead of myself out of my own excitement. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS!<strong>_


	7. Too Late

_**April 4, 2022 **_(Monday)

Sam never settled well when it came to flying. He didn't mind watching planes in movies or air shows, but experiencing it himself always made him nauseous. Thankfully Mercedes remembered Dramamine in her carry-on for him so by the time he woke up from the flight, their plane had touched down in Lexington. From there, it was only a short drive in their rental to the Evans' farm house.

One thing Sam would always miss, that Beverly Hills heavily lacked, were the tranquil, open fields that were plentiful in Tennessee, as well as Kentucky. In fact it was one of the factors that appealed to him _and _his parents when they bought the farm house: a spacious, grassy front yard, a green, two story country home with white trimming, wide pillars and a wrap-around porch; and a backyard large enough to accommodate a lemon grove and a barn for horses.

As the engaged couple rode along the long, dirt drive, they admired the font view of the familiar home as they always did when they visited. Sam let a content sigh pass through his lips that triggered a smile on his fiancée's face.

"I can't wait to see everyone," murmured a smiling Sam.

"I know," Mercedes agreed dryly. "We haven't been here since Thanksgiving which seems like forever ago."

Sam looked at her—his smile fading, "Are you okay? You haven't said much since we got off the plane."

"Yeah," she answered automatically. Her eyes seemed intent on staring out of the windshield, despite Sam's eyes probing her face. As if it would erase his expression, she reached out and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm just tired from the flight is all."

Sam didn't press her further. When they reached the estate, he parked the Mazda rental next to his dad's Ford and helped Mercedes unpack their week's worth of belongings. They were greeted by a frail but zealous Mary Evans, followed by her husband who relieved Mercedes of her zebra print bags.

"Stacey's out back, riding. She's been askin' when you guys were gonna get here," said Mr. Evans.

"Come on!" smiled Mrs. Evans as she seized Mercedes by the shoulders and ushered her from the foyer, through the family room, and out the sliding back door.

The Evans men looked after their girls for a moment and then took to the stairs to put the luggage away. While walking up the stairs to the guest room, Sam inhaled the familiar crisp country air—also lacking in LA. Sure, there were plenty of things he enjoyed about his life in California, but it was the trips back home that made him truly appreciate the rural life he'd grown up with.

His father, Dwight, pulled him out of his nostalgia when he asked, "So how's all the wedding stuff going?"

"Huh? Oh, it's going good." He nodded.

"Is she taking your last name?"

Sam's lips pulled up in a crooked smirk. "On the license, yes. And to the people closest to us she'll be Mrs. Evans. But when it comes to her career, she'll still be Mercedes Jones which is fine by me. She and Kurt have been on the phone with each other about the wedding almost every day."

Dwight chuckled, "Did Kurt have a heart attack when you guys said you wanted it in June?"

"Nah. I mean, he thinks we're all gonna melt in the heat but after we told him about Stevie's training and all that, he didn't have an issue with the date." Sam smiled lightly at the thought of his brother being home for a few weeks before he would have to report to the Key West Naval Base. But upon looking through the room's only window, down at the backyard, his thoughts shifted. "How's Mom doing?"

He half-expected his father's content expression to vanish, but to his surprise, his dad only smiled more. "She's actually doin' real good, Son. I know the past couple years have been rough for her more than any of us, but her recent appointments have been good, and she's been getting her energy back. Her doctor wants her to focus on getting her weight back on track now."

Sam stared thoughtfully at nothing in particular; it was the best news he'd received since Mercedes accepted his proposal! He didn't know what to say about it, but his dad clapped a hand to his shoulder and told him, "Keep your faith up, Son. I know I am."

* * *

><p>"CEDE! You're here!" shrieked a wide-eyed Stacey. She clicked her tongue to command her horse toward the corral and then gracefully slid off the grey thoroughbred's bare back to shut him in. The teen then broke into a run, making a beeline for the curvaceous diva.<p>

Mercedes smiled at the familiar sound of her nickname. Stacey had been calling her 'Cede' ever since they met. And although there was a time where she developed a jealousy of attention towards Mercedes, Stacey grew to love her like a big sister. She nearly robbed her parents of their hearing back in January when Sam told them he was going to propose.

Mrs. Evans stepped out of the way, seconds before her daughter collided with the singer. "My goodness, Stace—let her breathe!"

For such a slender girl, Stacey had a fierce grip. Mercedes giggled softly at her, but she was inclined to agree with her future mother-in-law. "How's it going, Stacey?"

"Great!" she chirped while letting go. "I have two competitions next week, so I was just practicing until you and Sammy got here."

"Oh it's too bad Sam and I didn't come next week—otherwise we could've watched you perform."

"It's alright," Stacey said as she pulled her blonde ponytail free. "I'll be sure to call you guys after!"

The three women walked the grassy yard while Stacy and Mercedes conversed about school and Stacey's riding competitions; by the time the subject of the wedding, Mercedes' involvement in the conversation lessened greatly. Stacey hadn't noticed—she was too excited and prattled on about her bridesmaid dress—but Mrs. Evans noticed. With a subtlety only a mother possessed, Mary pulled back the sleeve of her cardigan to glance at her watch and cut off her daughter mid-sentence. "Hey Stace I pulled out some ground beef for spaghetti earlier. Why don't you go get cleaned up and get some of the other ingredients ready for me?"

Stacey looked to her mom, "Okay, Mom," and then she winked at Mercedes before skipping off to the house, "We'll talk later! Plus I gotta go tackle Sammy."

Mercedes smiled and faintly nodded while Mrs. Evans shook her head at her daughter's seemingly endless energy. The dynamics within the Evans family was varying but it made them strong. Mr. Evans was a simple man and when it came to raising his family, he was like a quiet storm—profound in all he said and did without being unnecessarily loud. Sam was slanted more toward his father's personality, except when it came to anything related to sports or sci-fi. Stevie was the family's greatest introvert, and Stacey was the polar opposite. Mrs. Evans' love was absolutely infectious; she seemed to have an answer for everything, but always presented them with some level of compassion. She also seemed to have a sixth sense on noticing other's abnormal behaviors.

She and Mercedes were in the grove again—the crisp lemony aroma surrounding them as they walked. She removed her straw sun hat and combed her fingers through her short, delicate blonde and grey strands while using the hat to fan herself. "Has something happened with the wedding plans, sweetheart?" she asked. "I noticed you didn't seem too eager to discuss it when Stacey brought it up."

Mercedes shook her head. She hadn't met Mrs. Evan's concerned gaze until she felt the mother's feeble touch on her shoulder. The smile that joined Mrs. Evan's gaunt face made it impossible for the young star to lie about what was on her mind—not that she could; Mrs. Evans was too much like her own mother in many ways. Without much more thought, Mercedes whispered, "I'm late."

"Late?"

Mercedes sucked in her lip and stared meaningfully at her. Luckily it didn't take long for Sam's mom to understand.

"Oh—OH!" She quickly caught the rise in her voice and quieted, "By how much?"

"Going on two months now," Mercedes answered. "I…I really didn't notice I missed it last month, but now…I should have gotten it by now." She felt childish for dancing around words like "pregnant" and "period" yet she couldn't bring herself to say either.

Mrs. Evans wasn't fazed by it however. Calmly, she asked, "Have you told Sam yet?"

With a shake of her head, Mercedes said, "I've only told you and my mom. I haven't even taken a test yet."

"I see." It wasn't hard for the Evans matriarch to see her future daughter-in-law struggling to keep herself together. Mercedes was on the verge of tears, and I first time in a long time, she looked truly afraid. "Mercedes?"

The singer looked to her, frowning deeply, "I know I need to tell Sam. I just haven't figured out 'how' yet. I mean this isn't…we've talked about this before. We were going to get married first and then have kids."

"Sometimes…most of the time, what we want and what God's plan is are two different things. Sam understands that—look at what he'd been through when you two met."

There was hardly anything Mercedes could say to counter that. It could have been enough to absolve her fear, except for the final concern on her mind. "I just don't want to be the one to throw another curveball at him. He's been so happy the past couple months and I don't want to take that away from him."

"Mercedes you two have had your moments in the past where you've made the other one unhappy. But you've worked it out, and that's part of being in a relationship—it's work, sweetheart. And if you _are_ pregnant, you're going to have to tell him, regardless of how he might take the news. But I know my son, and you know him too. He'll be here to support you, and anyone else who comes along." She offered another friendly smile and quoted, "'In sickness and in health', Mercedes."

They had stopped their slow stroll, hallway down the row of lemon trees. Rather than walking beside her, Mary Evans faced her future daughter-in-law and rested both hands on the young woman's shoulders. Her blue hues bore warmly into Mercedes' brown pair, "Go for a walk with him out here. Give yourselves the privacy and fresh air; it'll help you relax."

* * *

><p>Upon returning to the house, Mrs. Evans couldn't seem to pry Stacey away from Sam so Mercedes volunteered to help her with dinner. She doubled her assistance as an opportunity to think about how to talk to Sam tonight, because his mother's points were gnawing away at her fears.<p>

After their late dinner—hearty helpings of spaghetti and salad—Dwight roped his daughter into helping him with cleanup while his wife went to lie down. The time difference had both Sam and Mercedes feeling too awake to rest, so Mercedes suggested they go for a walk.

"Sure," replied Sam. He led the way out the sliding glass door and escorted her down the back porch steps with arm draped around his fiancée's shoulders.

Mercedes leaned into his side with one of her hands coming around his torso but she couldn't take her eyes off of the night sky. Neither Lima nor Beverly Hills allowed for _this_ many stars to be seen. And aside from their own muffled footsteps, the only sounds to be heard were the occasional shuffling of horse hooves, the rustle of the light breeze, and the songs of the crickets. It was absolutely serene.

"You cold?" Sam asked before bending his head to kiss the top of her head.

Mercedes' eyes rolled shut upon the tender contact. "Mm-mm…" After one deep breath she mustered up some courage. "Sam, I need tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked with an untroubled tenor.

His naïve tone made Mercedes' stomach twist. She rested a hand over it while her lips formed words, but no sound came out.

Sam's feet started to drag. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She hardly recovered her voice and it didn't help that Sam move from supporting her side to standing face-to-face with her. "I don't know how to say it," she confessed as her heart started beating in each ear.

"Just tell me, Mercedes," he slowly insisted.

"I think I'm pregnant."

The words fumbled out of her mouth before she could think on them any further. Saying she might be pregnant sounded off to her—like it was someone else's admission. Sure knew she was going to have kids someday and she'd thought about what pregnancy was going to be like, but thinking on it and living it were clearly two different things.

Her eyes were fixed up at Sam; she watched him go rigid—watched his plump lips fall into an elongated "O" as his wide eyes impulsively went to the hand on her belly.

Mercedes used his moments of stillness to brace herself for whatever was going to come out of his mouth next. Mrs. Evans' words echoed in her head then. _I know my son, and you know him too. He'll be here to support you, and anyone else who comes along._ Still, she had seen and known of too many fleeting fathers who were good and loyal men once upon a time—her biological father being a case in point. And she knew it wasn't right to compare Sam to her selfish father.

"Please say something Sam," she whispered, mostly to pull herself out of her own head-splitting debate.

Staring away at nothing in particular, Sam picked up his jaw to ask, "Are you sure?"

Mercedes slowly shook her head, "No... I haven't taken a test or anything yet. But I think I am." Still shaking her head at her fiancé, she desperately breathed, "I need to know for sure. _We_ need to know."

The blond returned his gaze to her. Fresh tears were pooling in her eyes; Mercedes rarely ever cried, but when she did it unfailingly pierced his heart. He bit down on his lip while raising his hand to tenderly cup her cheek. As Mercedes shut her eyes to the touch, Sam suggested, "There's a clinic not far from here. We can call in the morning and try to get you an appointment."

The chocolate-skinned woman nodded against his hand, "Okay." As her hands came around Sam's middle, she felt his slender fingers move from the side of her face to gingerly stroke the top of her head. She knew he was trying to sooth her—it usually did—but all she could do was voice the most pressing thought on her mind. "What are we going to do?"

Sam held her tightly, "What do you want to do?"

"If I am, I'm not going change what is." Some measure of strength returned to her voice as answered him. "I know we'd be great parents, and we can provide for a baby. I just didn't think it was going to happen right now."

"Well," Sam faintly smiled, "it's not going to happen _right now_." He looked down to gauge her reaction and after getting an eye roll from her he went on, "But you and I can do this. We're gonna be okay."

Sam was aware that he sounded cliché, the moment he uttered those words, but he'd meant all he said. His own anxiousness couldn't take precedence; in that moment, he knew he needed to be there for Mercedes.

_**Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors in this chapter. Please leave reviews! More is on the way very soon!**_


	8. In Joy & Sorrow

_**April 5, 2022**_ (Tuesday)

As per their agreement, after getting cleaned up the next morning, Mercedes sat down on the bed and called the local clinic while Sam showered. She lucked out with an appointment that afternoon.

Her fiancée returned from the hall bathroom in jeans, a white fitted V-neck and an open flannel button-down. Mercedes told him her appointment was at 1:15 and then got herself dressed in dark skinny jeans and a pale yellow striped peasant blouse. Down at breakfast, Stacey asked Mercedes and Sam if they wanted to go riding with her after she got home from school. Sam agreed, but Mercedes kindly declined; with her uncertainty about being pregnant, she didn't know what sorts of precautions she should be taking.

The singer helped Mrs. Evans clean up from breakfast as Mr. Evans left for work and Stacey talked Sam into giving her a ride to school. When they were alone, Mercedes spoke to her future mother-in-law, "I told him. Last night, I told Sam."

Mary looked up from the pan she'd been scrubbing and asked. "And?"

"And he's going with me to the doctor's today." Mercedes quit wiping down the table and looked to the blonde woman. She smiled nervously and said, "You were right—he was really understanding."

After a few assuring nods, Mary told her, "You knew he would be too. Deep down, I'm sure. But all the same, I can understand why you would be afraid to tell him. It's not an easy thing to tell _any_body when you weren't planning for it to happen. I should know."

Mercedes tilted her head curiously, "Has this happened to you?"

"Yes ma'am," replied Mrs. Evans. She pulled the stopper out of the sink and while she looked for a towel to dry her hands on, went on to say, "With Sam, no less. Dwight and I weren't even engaged yet. We had talked about marriage, but he hadn't proposed to me yet. And when we had to tell our parents…" she shook her head but wore a light smile. "Let's just say that they weren't as understanding as your parents or Dwight and I are."

"Were they pretty upset?" Mercedes assumed.

"That would be an understatement. Times were different back then, and both of our parents had parents with devoutly religious upbringings. It was embarrassing for them to have children who were having sex before marriage, let alone bringing a child into the world."

Mercedes frowned, feeling bad for what she was hearing. She'd never met Sam's grandparents—much less heard him, Stevie or Stacey mention them, and now she knew why.

"Mercedes?" Mrs. Evans was tilting her head now. She read the expression on the young singer's face and offered another friendly smile. "Don't be sad for us, sweetheart. Dwight's parents and my parents made their decisions not to be involved in their grandchildren's lives a long time ago. We've accepted that now, and we're all just fine. I always tell my kids that life's like a baseball game and we're always up to bat: Sometimes we're thrown a solid pitch; sometimes we strike out altogether and have to wait to try again, and sometimes we just knock 'em right out of the park. Just remember though… whatever happens with you and Sam? Dwight, your mom, your dad and I are all here for you two. "

* * *

><p>After Sam returned from dropping off his sister, he, his mother and Mercedes all went walking in the backyard to talk and pick lemons. His mom informed the two that she'd filled Mr. Evans in on what was going on; neither of the young adults was bothered by this. After a few more hours of more little chores around the yard, Sam and Mercedes headed inside to wash their hands and head out for their appointment.<p>

On their way, Mercedes' phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled it out to see "Mike C.: Video Call" sliding across the screen like a marquee. She touched the "accept" button and soon, Mike's frantic yet happy face appeared.

"What's up Mike? You okay?"

"Yeah, it's Tina," he huffed, "She went into labor!"

Mercedes smiled but her brows also knitted, "That's great! But…Why do you look like you just ran a marathon?"

"Well…I kinda did…not really…but you know what I mean."

Cocking a brow, Mercedes said, "Um…no." She giggled once as Mike elaborated with short breaths.

"I had to get everything together—you know, overnight bag, Little Mikey, all that."

"Ohhh I see. Where is Mach 3 anyway?"

"With my mom. She flew out yesterday. Good timing! I gotta go though. But I'll call you and Sam later!"

"Okay, tell Tina we love her! And congratulations you two!"

Mike waved cheerfully before hanging up. Sam shook his head in utter amusement at his best friend. The news of Tina's labor gave Mercedes a strange hope that she really was pregnant. Their kids could grow up together. She thought about an array of wonderful possibilities for the remainder of the drive.

When they arrived at the clinic and checked in, Sam and Mercedes sat side-by-side, waiting for the singer's name to be called. While she waited, a young teen nervously approached her and asked her for her autograph. Mercedes graciously obliged and swooped her initials across the scrap of paper the girl handed her. Minutes later, a nurse called Mercedes' name. She and Sam headed to the back half of the clinic and were ushered into an exam room.

The nurse instructed Mercedes to lie back on the exam chair; she then told her and Sam that the doctor would be in shortly.

Sure enough, minutes later, there were two knocks, and a female gynecologist with red hair and thick-rimmed glasses entered the room. She extended a hand to Sam and then Mercedes while introducing herself with a thick Southern accent. "Good afternoon y'all, I'm Dr. Stone. Good to meet 'cha." She set her clipboard down and moved to the small sink to wash her hands. "So you think you're expectin'?

Mercedes nodded, "Yes."

After some more personal questions, Dr. Stone told her, "Now you have three options here for confirmin' a pregnancy. We can do a urine sample or a blood sample and test 'em, or we can do an ultrasound right here. Or we can do all three if you wanna be triple sure."

"Ultrasound," Mercedes answered. "I went to the bathroom before I got here, so…I don't think you're gonna get me to pee in a cup."

Sam fought a smile and chimed in, "And she hates needles, so..."

"Not a problem," said the doctor. "Why don't 'cha lie back Ms. Jones and I'ma need you to lift your blouse to your chest and undo the button and zipper on your pants.

Mercedes obliged while the doctor prepared the ultrasound machine. Growing uneasy again, Mercedes reached for Sam and grabbed his hand. He gave her a reassuring squeeze and then lifted her hand to his lips.

When Dr. Stone turned back to her patient, she pulled up a stool raised a bottle over Mercedes stomach. "This is a little cold," she warned before squeezing the bluish gel below Mercedes' belly button. The next moment, the gynecologist was turning the transducer along the singer's curved abdomen.

Both Mercedes and Sam had their eyes fixed on the small screen. Sam's lips parted at the same moment Mercedes gasped; the profile of a baby's head—_their _baby's.

"So there's the head," spoke the doctor. "And that big black area behind's the amniotic sac."

When she moved the probing device down slightly, the room filled with the sound of rhythmic thrumming. Any words that could have been trying to leave Mercedes' mouth were caught in her throat. She felt Sam squeeze her hand a little tighter as he asked, "Is that the heartbeat?"

To him, it sounded like a family of horses were galloping past the room.

"Yes, sirrey!" answered Dr. Stone. "Sounds fast doesn't it?"

Instantly alarmed, Mercedes asked, "Is that bad?"

"No, darlin'. It's good—healthy and strong. Just from lookin' at him or her, I'd say you're 'bout 10 or 11 weeks along."

She let the couple marvel at the sound and sight of their growing fetus a little longer and then lifted the device from Mercedes' stomach. "And there ya have it." While she cleaned the gel off of the transducer and Mercedes' stomach she said, "Now as I understand it, you two live in California?" When she received confirmation, Dr. Stone went on, "I'll draft up a report on the computer and send it to your doctor in Beverly Hills. Also, I'm recommending you two set up an appointment with him as soon as you get back home so you can get all your prenatal vitamins and discuss your health history so he can best navigate you through the remainder of your pregnancy."

Neither Sam nor Mercedes could voice their happiness. They nodded to the instructions Dr. Stone gave them and when she congratulated them on their way out, they both smiled more than before.

* * *

><p>The remainder of the week had both Sam and Mercedes in agreement that this had been their best visit to Kentucky yet. Hours after they came back from the clinic, Mike called them to report that Sawyer had been born. "<em>7 lbs., 6 oz., 17 inches long. Lots of hair on his head. Tina's doing great!<em>"

They decided not to tell any of their friends just yet about their own baby news; both of them agreed to enjoy the confirmation with their families for a while first. Mercedes called her mother to tell her; she of course, was over the moon about becoming a grandma. "_Can they call me Nana Vi?_" she'd asked.

Before leaving Kentucky, Mr. and Mrs. Evans happily claimed the title of Grandpa and Grandma while Mercedes' mom and stepdad took Nana Vi and Papa.

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 11, 2022<strong>_ (Monday)

During their flight back to LA, Mercedes was wishing she could be the one to take Dramamine. Her reason for being unable to excited her enough to endure the queasy feeling that hit her halfway through the flight however. When they arrived at their Beverly Hills condo, Sam unpacked their things while Mercedes fixed them a chicken and rice dinner. Following dinner, the couple wandered into their living room, cuddled up on the couch and watched a recently rebooted film adaptation of _Carmen_ while Mercedes finished the last of her favorite chocolate-dipped oatmeal raisin cookies. Unable to help herself, Mercedes derailed her attention from the movie and asked, "What are we gonna name him or her?"

Sam peered down at her skeptically. "Names? Don't you think it's a little early to think about names?"

Mercedes shrugged, "No. Besides, who cares? We might change our minds before the baby even gets here. Come on, we haven't talked about baby names in a long time."

He chuckled and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling, "Um…I like Xander. With an "X"."

"Xander?"

"Yeah, you know like Alexander? It's a cool name."

Mercedes' face soured, "What else do you like?"

He playfully scowled at her, "Quentin."

Mercedes sat up so she could look at him fully. "Why Quentin?"

Sam shrugged this time, "Quentin Tarantino."

His fiancée scoffed and he protested, "What? What's wrong with that? He directed some of my favorite movies!" He counted off on his fingers while listing, "_Pulp Fiction_, all the _Kill Bill_ movies, _Reservoir Dogs_, & _Inglorious Basterds_!"

The singer pursed her lips and after a long, judgmental stare she said, "Alright. It's a contender. What about girl's names? And Sam I swear if you say Neytiri, I'm gonna throw a pillow at your face."

Sam grinned and shrugged innocently, "Lily?"

"…Lily Evans?"

He earned himself a smack in the face with the nearest couch pillow anyway. His response was a shameless peal of laughs. "I was kidding!"

With a tempered smirk, Mercedes asked, "If you hadn't gotten me so sucked into _Harry Potter_, I probably wouldn't have caught that one."

"_Some_ fictional character's name out there is gonna end up on our child's birth certificate." He grinned and shifted to lay his head in her lap so she could play with his messy blond locks. "But I like Annette Evans. It's my mom's middle name."

"Annette's a pretty name," agreed Mercedes as her fingers lightly combed through his hair. "Annette or Quentin Evans." She smiled softly at the sound of each possible name while Sam closed his eyes at her calm touch.

"What about you? What do you like?"

"I dunno yet. I just wanted to hear suggestions."

Sam opened his eyes again. "Hold the hell on," he said in a very Mercedes-esque tone. He sat up again while asking, "So I get pestered and pillowed in the face over names and you're not even gonna give me one of yours?"

Mercedes shifted on the couch defensively. She saw Sam's expression on his face change and knew where this was going. As she edged toward the end of the couch her eyes hadn't left his. After cracking an obviously guilty smile she answered, "Maybe?"

As quickly as possible, she sprinted from the couch and took off grinning and squealing down the hallway with Sam right on her heels. His arm hooked around her middle and he scooped her up, bridal style before she reached their bedroom. Mercedes laughed incessantly as he nestled his face into her neck, purposely tickling her face with his five o'clock shadow.

"Sam! Sam stoooop!" She begged after being caged on their bed by his body and limbs. He tickled her sides and when he thought she couldn't take it anymore, his hands wove between hers, holding them against the pillows above her head. Keeping his head close, his eyes stared in hers right up until he planted a warm, tender kiss on her lips.

Mercedes arched her back to press herself closer to him while she returned the kiss. When she relaxed her back, Sam pulled his lips away. He pecked her pair a few more times, and then each corner before saying, "We should probably get to bed. Got an early appointment with Dr. Bourdon tomorrow."

With no qualms, Mercedes waited for her hands to be freed before she playfully pushed her fiancé to the side and got up to grab her pajamas. Sam rolled off their bed and followed suit. They both soon returned to their bed, cuddled back into each other's arms feeling ready for the day ahead.

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 12, 2022<strong>_

Sam stood beside Mercedes while they waited in the exam room. He slipped his hands into his pockets while frequently smirking down at his fiancée.

Mercedes lay back in the exam chair with her hands resting patiently over her stomach. She started to ask Sam when they should plan to go up to San Francisco to meet the Chang's new baby, when three knocks on the door stopped her.

"So I hear you're engaged and expecting. It's not a shotgun wedding, is it?" joked her doctor as he entered and closed the door behind him.

Sam chuckled once and shook the doctor's hand while Mercedes dipped her chin, keeping her eyes on her gynecologist with an un-amused smirk. "Yeah right. Dr. Bourdon, you know me better than that."

He laughed softly, "Hey, I don't have a problem with that. But it's good to see you both looking really happy, and if anyone can handle a wedding and a baby, it's you Mercedes." His eyes went down to the papers in his hand, "Now I have the doctor's report here from the clinic in Lexington. It says you're about 10 weeks along. I'll prescribe you some prenatal vitamins and talk to you both about pregnancy dos and don'ts and what to expect, but I'd like to do a sonogram first."

Mercedes nodded, "Okay."

After lifting her shirt and adjusting her jeans, Mercedes raised her hand in search of Sam's. He took hold and gently squeezed her hand while the doctor prepared the machine.

"Dr. Bourdon, how soon can we find out the sex of the baby?" asked Mercedes.

While squeezing gel on her lower abdomen, her doctor replied, "Depending on the position of the baby you should be able to know in about two more months." He abruptly apologized for the coolness of the gel and then lowered the transducer device below her belly button. Seconds later, a familiar silhouette appeared on the black and white screen. After identifying the head and the body, he asked "Do you want picture? If you didn't already get it in Kentucky, it'll be your baby's first picture."

"Yes!" Mercedes answered right away, casting a dazzling smile up at her fiancé.

Sam smiled back at her and then looked to the doctor, "Hey, can we hear the heartbeat too?" As he asked, he recalled how unbelievably enthralled he and Mercedes were by the galloping pulse produced by such a tiny being—_their _tiny being.

Dr. Bourdon took in their excited gazes and smiled, "Sure. I don't usually give full ultrasound checks when you've had appointments so close together—you'll usually come see me once a month—but for you two I'll make an exception today."

Keeping the cable-bound device on her stomach, the gynecologist turned to adjust the sound. He twisted the transducer back and forth in the same area but the only sound to join the sonogram was the low, monotonous buzzing of the machine. Mercedes' eyes bore stubbornly into the ultrasound screen as though her persistent stare could produce the thrumming sound they were looking to hear.

Dr. Bourdon's face was tense; after a few more seconds of adjusting, he lifted the probe from Mercedes' pelvis. Through a strained calm he told them, "I can't get a heartbeat."

Somewhere far away, Mercedes heard Sam say, "That can't be. Can you check again?"

The doctor said something else as he brought the transducer back to the singer's stomach. Mercedes had no idea what he said after that; she was hearing everything from underwater. She didn't turn to see anyone's faces or speak on anything that might have been said to her because her eyes were stuck on the silent, unchanging sonogram.

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 13, 2022<strong>_

Mercedes hardly spoke after the appointment. She nodded, shook her head or didn't respond to any of Sam's questions. He offered to fix dinner that evening but neither of them ate. The next morning was just the same. Both of them were usually up early, but the singer remained in bed after a sleepless night. Sam fixed them both a cup of coffee but Mercedes wordlessly rejected it by remaining under the covers. It wasn't until the afternoon when he reminded her that he had to go to a meeting but offered to stay, that she finally spoke.

"No. Go," was her response.

She pushed the covers back and briskly left the bed for the bathroom. Sam reached out to her but she brushed past and closed the bathroom door behind her. Seconds later, he heard the shower come on; with nothing left to say or do, he picked up his keys and sunglasses and walked away.

All of the singer's actions from that moment on were mechanical in the most literal sense of the word. She bathed, dressed, made the bed, and cleaned every surface of the condo—all with the same silent, lifeless energy.

By the time Sam came home he looked around the condo, noticing right away that it smelled of cleaning product and screamed with silence. He toed his shoes off and wandered into the kitchen to set down one of his gifts for his fiancée—a small bag of chocolate-dipped oatmeal raisin cookies. In his other hand was a bouquet of pink and yellow tulips; Mercedes' second-favorite flower. He checked the bedroom and then wandered into the living room and out onto the patio where he found his fiancée. She was sitting at the outdoor table, staring stoically at the Beverly Hills scenery; it all would have been beautiful had she not looked heartbreakingly dismal.

Sam set the bouquet of flowers down in front of her; he saw Mercedes glance at them then looked back out at the skyline. After placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, Sam asked, "Have you eaten dinner?"

Her head shook.

"What do you want for dinner?"

She shrugged.

Sam softly sighed, "Well, I'm gonna order a pizza or something."

Mercedes nodded apathetically, and then picked up the bouquet as she stood. She carried the flowers at her side while returning indoors to find a vase. Sam followed after her, unsure of what to make of her current actions.

"Pepperoni and olives okay?"

She shrugged again, occupying herself with removing the cellophane.

Sam pulled out his cell phone to call Domino's. He placed the order, all the while watching Mercedes fill a vase with water and slip the flowers inside. By the time he hung up, Mercedes back was to him and she was leaning in front of the kitchen sink.

"How could he not find a heartbeat?" she quietly asked—too low for Sam to hear.

"What?"

"_How could he not find a heartbeat?_" she asked again between clenched teeth.

Sam stepped close to her, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know." He wasn't sure what to say, except for the one thing that remained a recurring thought for him over the past day. Without a smile or the intent to be remotely cheerful, Sam muttered, "Life's not fair."

"_Death_'s not fair!" Mercedes shouted back.

He flinched but soon followed Mercedes as she plowed on while storming to the bedroom.

"_Why_ us?... Why us, Sam?... Why would God give us a baby and take it away right when we fall in love with it?... Why are we the ones to lose our ba…?" Mercedes throat closed before she could finish her banter.

Sam was rooted where he stood. He had seen Mercedes upset before, but never had she projected angst to God before. And with all of her questions, he had no answers because he had been privately wondering the same things. After less than a week of getting excited and making new plans and falling in love with his and Mercedes' greatest bond, he felt cheated. All of the hurt and confusion and anger and sadness that was hardening on Mercedes' face, was also piercing his core.

It wasn't until he saw his fiancée sink to her hands and knees that he found the ability to move again.

Her natural hair bounced in front of her bowed head like a curly curtain. Her round shoulders slumped, and then shuddered with every heavy sob that suddenly burst out of her. Her fingers curled into the carpet until she had her fists full, but she released one and brought her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God, Sam," she whimpered.

The pain in Sam's chest was growing tighter by the second. In the back of his mind he felt certain it would tear him apart without warning before the night was over. But the majority of him was fighting just to make it to Mercedes' side. All he wanted to do was be screaming out and echoing his fiancée's inquiries, but he couldn't. He couldn't do it, even as flashbacks from the doctor's office to now were beating him repeatedly over the head. He lowered himself beside Mercedes and pulled her into his lap.

Right away, Mercedes buried her face into the crook of his neck and held onto him with everything she had. Her cries came harder, which made it difficult for her to continuously ask, "Why?" yet she managed to do so, while becoming vaguely aware of the moisture trickling onto her own shoulder.

Helpless to each other, they did nothing but clutch one another and cry.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! This is by far the <strong>_hardest_** chapter I've had to write so far. But I hope I don't keep any of you from wanting to read on. More is to come!**_


	9. It Goes On

"_In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on_."  
>–Robert Frost<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 15, 2022<strong>_

The previous day, Sam and Mercedes hadn't left their condo. The pizza Sam ordered went untouched after he quickly tipped the delivery boy and left the box on the kitchen counter. Aside from that and using the bathroom, he and Mercedes had stayed by each other's side—phones off—finding comfort in one another until they exhausted themselves into an early night's sleep.

In the morning, Mercedes was the first of the two to wake up. She sat up—her eyes feeling heavier than they usually did in the morning—and looked over to her fiancée. Sam was lying on his stomach with his arm clutching the pillow that his head was resting on. Mercedes cast a weak smile at him; as her body started readying itself for consciousness she stared thoughtfully at the muscular blond. She didn't know why, but for a brief moment she wondered what her life would be like, without Sam. It was not as if she hoped she would ever find this out—she never wanted to go through that again. Rather, it was a reflection of how deep her love was for the man who, for the past ten years, repeatedly made her fall further in love with him. The man who would make her favorite chocolate chip pancakes and randomly shape them like Mickey Mouse's head, just to get a smiling reaction out of her. The man who was fine with escorting her from the silliest to the most important events of her career. The man who knew all the ways to calm her when she got angry, and simultaneously knew which buttons to press. The man who loved who she was on the inside _and_ the outside.

And here they were, grieving together for the child they hardly knew. It was the one truth the inexplicable ordeal that brought Mercedes the greatest comfort—she wasn't going through this alone. Sam had been right there when the doctor delivered the news. He offered to be there when she wanted to be alone, and he respected her space. He held her when she cried, and he openly cried with her.

Being careful not to wake him, Mercedes placed a hand over Sam's bare shoulder; her weak smile strengthened with all of the thoughts that were going through her head. For a moment, she shut her eyes, bowed her head and silently asked God for strength to move forward from the miscarriage. She finished by thanking Him for Sam and his love, and then quietly mouthed, "Amen." When she opened her eyes, they fell on the blond's peaceful face. Her lips pulled up slightly again as she noticed the way his lips pouted slightly while he slept. His hair was cut short in the back again, but the long golden strands on top hung messily in front of his brows. Mercedes bent down to press a gentle kiss on his prickly cheek and then left the bed as stealthily as possible.

While brushing her teeth, she noticed her eyes were still puffy from all the crying she'd done the night before. After clearing her mouth of the toothpaste, she splashed some cold water on her face, patted her face dry with a towel and left the bathroom. Before leaving the bedroom altogether, she grabbed her cell phone and turned it back on; by the time she reached the kitchen, she'd had three missed calls from her publicist and one from her mother. Mercedes ignored the voicemail left from her publicist and made a regular call to her mom. Mentally, she wasn't sure if she was prepared for this conversation but it needed to happen, sooner rather than later.

"Hey Baby," said her mom as soon as she answered. "I was just getting ready to go to the store."

Mercedes took out a medium-sized frying pan to set on the stovetop. While moving about the kitchen to gather up ingredients for French toast—it was Sam's favorite—she listened to her mother tell her about her weekend plans.

"So how are you and Sam? Did you guys already flip your guest room into a nursery?" She chuckled softly, but when her daughter said nothing back she spoke, "Mercedes? You still there?"

"Y-yeah, I'm here…Mom?" Mercedes bit her lip. She felt like crying before the words could leave her mouth, yet her eyes remained dry. Her mother heard the struggle in her voice and asked her what was wrong. And as Mercedes set the loaf of bread in her hands on the black granite countertop, she quietly told her mom the heartbreaking news.

"Oh, Baby," her mom breathed after she finished talking. The former Ms. Jones—now Mrs. Owens—exhaled a long sigh into the phone and asked, "Are you okay?"

Mercedes echoed her mom's sigh, "I don't know. I mean I know Sam and I only knew about this for a week, but… it hurts…and it makes me so mad, not knowing why we only had a week."

"I understand."

"No, you don't," argued Mercedes.

She could easily imagine the look on her mother's face as she said, "Excuse me?" Brows pulled close, nostrils flared—so many of the reflexes Mercedes would express when she was challenged. "Mercedes Charice Jones, you are not the first woman to go through this and you won't be the last. So yes, I do understand."

Chagrined, Mercedes shut her eyes. From her mother's tone she could tell she'd hit a nerve but it didn't keep her from straining, "Mom please don't make this about you right now. Please, I don't need that."

"Mercedes, I'm not," Mrs. Owens sharply insisted. "I'm trying to tell you that you and Sam aren't alone in what you're going through. And I don't want you two to treat it like you are alone in this. Take the time you two need to get through this, but don't shut everyone out. Because if you do, I guarantee you that the anger and hurt and sadness you're feeling will consume you. I know neither of you want that for yourselves."

The singer was staring down at the empty frying pan, letting her mom's words sink in. Mrs. Owens had been right—she usually was. And as always, she knew how to deliver her tough love with support from her faith.

"You and Sam take care of each other. I know you said neither of you were planning for a baby right now…and maybe God wasn't planning that for you right now either. But when it's meant to be, it will be, Baby."

That was something Mercedes could hold on to. "_Que sera sera,_" and one of her favorite song lyrics: "_What is meant to be will be_."

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you more. Call me anytime you want to. And if I need to come out there, I will."

Mercedes' lips formed a hollow smile. "I'll remember that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 29, 2022<strong>_

"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean…with me bringing Sawyer and all?"

With a light smile, Mercedes answered, "Tina, please—he's only a few weeks old. He needs to be with his Mama. Plus Sam and I haven't gotten to see him yet. And what do you think I'm gonna do—hide out in my home until Sam and I make another baby?" She chuckled once, "Girl, I'm fine."

Ever since her call with her mother, Mercedes had been working hard to let her mom's words and Sam's comfort keep her going. Some days she felt foolish for being so grief-stricken; other days she lingered on the prospect of what it would be like to handle the pregnancy and wedding plans at the same time. Eventually, after Sam's parents were also informed of the news, Sam and Mercedes let the Chang Jr.s and the Andersons know as well.

Neither couple had been told about the pregnancy to begin with, but their concern over Mercedes' withdraw from the wedding plans brought the miscarriage to light. Earlier that week, however something in her had leveled out again and she made calls to Kurt and Tina, letting them know that she was okay. Once Kurt was convinced, he insisted that she get her invitations mailed and suggested that Sam or Tina help her. With Sam being busy for the remainder of the week, she enlisted in her matron of honor's help.

Tina followed her best friend from the front door to the Jones-Evans living room. As they passed through the main hallway, she heard a long, muffled, bending violin note. It didn't sound live, and as far as she was aware neither of her friends knew how to play the instrument, but it was a unique sound that was soon joined by an orchestra of ballad-like notes.

"Mercedes, what _is _that?" she asked.

"Remember how we turned that third room into a workspace for Sam for his birthday last year? Well he's in there right now. His friend, Jay, sent him a demo for something last night so he's listening to it." As Mercedes set Tina's bags down she added, "Thanks for coming down to help me by the way." She plopped down on one of the large floor pillows and grabbed a pen from the coffee table nearby. The wedding was less than two months away, and she and Sam had yet to send out their invitations. "After some bugging, I finally got Sam to get all the addresses for people he wanted to invite."

"What's the final count?" asked Tina. In her arms, the newborn cooed; each time he did, Mercedes would look to him.

Before she could stare too long, Mercedes tore her gaze away and said, "75 is the final count, but we don't have that many invitations to address."

Tina's face was pinched with concern as she cradled baby Sawyer to her. She offered an uneasy smile to the singer and quietly asked, "Are you sure you're okay with—"

"_Yes_, yes I'm sure," Mercedes pressed. "I'm fine, Tina. Besides, these wedding invites aren't gonna address themselves." She held up a stack of freshly delivered invitations; cream-colored parchment with the faintest blue hue. Printed on the parchment was the following:

_**Mercedes Charice Jones and Samuel Dwight Evans  
>request your presence to witness and celebrate<br>their step into matrimony on  
>Sunday, the twelfth of June, two-thousand and twenty-two<br>at four o'clock in Lexington, Kentucky.**_

Below the invitation were the address to the Evans' home and the RSVP information.

"Kurt said they should've been mailed weeks ago, with the short time frame the wedding planning's already in."

Tina patted the back of her fussy newborn while saying, "Yeah but don't stress over that. The people who really want to be there for you and Sam will be there, no matter when they get their invitation."

As Mercedes started to respond, Sawyer's soft whines turned into more attention-grabbing cries. She watched as Tina lightly bounced the small babe while quietly shushing him. Something in Mercedes made her ask, "Can I hold him?"

Right away, Tina looked to her friend apprehensively. Whether it was for Mercedes' own benefit or not, she couldn't be certain but she nodded and carefully handed her swaddled son to her friend anyway.

Sawyer's tiny lips quivered as he cried. Mercedes expertly held him in her hands, using the bend of her elbow to support his head while her overlapping palms rested under his bottom. Slowly she rocked from side to side while softly saying, "You're probably sleepy, huh, Sawyer? Yes, I know it was a long trip down here for you and your Mommy. And I bet you miss your Daddy and brother." The little boy cried a fraction less than before as Mercedes went on to ask, "Can I sing you a little song, Sawyer? Is that okay if Aunt Cedes sings to you?"

Smiling warmly, Mercedes continued to slowly rock from side to side while she softly sang, "_I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; you get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger. May you never take one single breath for granted. God-forbid love ever leave you empty-handed. I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean; whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance…and when you get the choice to sit it ouut or dance, I hope you daaaaance…I hope you dance_…"

Neither woman noticed that the peculiar music coming from Sam's office had silenced. They hadn't heard his office door open, nor were they aware of him standing at the living room entrance—sleeves pushed up to his elbows, arms folded while he looked on at his fiancée with Sawyer. By the time she finished singing the chorus, Sawyer's cries turned to soft, trembling coos. She proceeded to hum through more of the song as he settled down and eventually, the young boy had fallen asleep.

Tina sat smiling and feeling grateful that her friend seemed to find some solace in calming her son down. And after it seemed like Sawyer was in a deep enough sleep, Tina held her hands out, "Here, I'll go lay him down and then we can get started on the invitations."

Sam quietly excused himself from the scene as Mercedes smiled and handed the babe back to his mother.

With her hands free again, Mercedes swiftly brought her attention back to wedding. The encounter with Sawyer hadn't been as difficult as she'd anticipated, and she was thankful for that. After a deep breath, she started forming an organized bunch of piles for the invitations, envelopes, photos and seals. Back in March, she and Sam had booked a photo shoot and decided to include a wallet-sized image of themselves with their invitations.

Mercedes gazed at the picture—a sepia tone photo of the two of them posed in front of the Napa, California countryside. Sam wore blue jeans and a red plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows; he stood directly behind her with his arms around her waist. Mercedes wore skinny jeans and a loose, cherry red off-the-shoulder top. With her left hand rested kindly over his, her other hand was touched to the side of Sam's head. Her lightly-curled weave was swept over one shoulder; on the opposite shoulder, Sam was pressing a soft kiss to her skin, and she was gazing affectionately at him.

"Alright!" Tina returned, causing Mercedes to jump as she returned to the present. "Let's get those invitations done. Oh, and Kurt and I have been talking. We were thinking…you know how Sam and the guys are going to Vegas for the Bachelor party?"

Mercedes raised her chin with a skeptical gaze. "Yeeeaah?"

Tina grinned, "Well we wanna take you to Vegas that weekend too. But we'll see if we can avoid running into Sam and the guys!"

"Um…" Mercedes chuckled hesitantly, "I'm cool with going to Vegas and all, but I think you oughta run that plan by Sam first. I don't wanna make it seem like we're just following them there to spy. Plus Stacey's 17; there's not a whole lot to do in Vegas for anyone under 21."

Sam, Mike, Blaine, Finn, Artie and Sam's friend, Jay, were all hitting the Las Vegas strip Memorial Day weekend for the Bachelor Party. Meanwhile, Mercedes hadn't heard a thing about her Bachelorette Party until now, and all she'd told Tina and Kurt was that she wanted to do something fun. Quinn, Rachel, Stacey, Santana, and Brittany were all invited but she left the final plans up to Tina and Kurt.

"Okay!" Tina perked up and turned back around to go back down the hallway again.

Mercedes shook her head, bemused. "I didn't mean right now, Tina!" she called but the fashion designer ignored her. As she heard light knocks on Sam's office door, Mercedes finally got to work with addressing the envelopes.

Sam opened the office door and raised his brows, acting slightly surprised. "Tina, hey what's up? I didn't hear you get here," he lied while leaning out of the door to hug her.

Tina returned the hug. "Hey Sam! Yeah, Sawyer and I got here about twenty minutes ago. He's sleep if you wanna go see him," she gestured down the hall toward the guest room. "But I have a question for you."

He smiled crookedly, "Alright, I have an answer for you."

"Great. How would you feel if Kurt, the girls and I took Mercedes to Vegas for her Bachelorette Party?"

"That's fine," he said, looking suddenly confused as to why he was being consulted.

"On Memorial Day weekend?" Tina added.

Comprehension overtook the blond's confusion, "Ohh I see." He chuckled once and shrugged, "Well…Vegas is a big city. I don't see why we can't share it."

"Exactly!" chirped Tina. "Okay, great! Thanks" she said before returning to the living room with a grin on her face.

Sam shook his head after his friend and then slipped back into his office. Meanwhile the still-grinning Tina plopped down on the floor pillow beside Mercedes; as she pulled her boots off, she looked to her best friend, "Remind me to call Kurt when we're done. Vegas is a go!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More's on the way! PLUS! Are there any pre or post-wedding events you'd like to see happen with Sam &amp;or Mercedes? Let me know in your review! Thanks for reading!**_  
>*Song lyrics mentioned in this chapter are not mine: "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack &amp; "Everything Is Everything" by Lauryn Hill<p> 


	10. Viva Las Vegas

_**May 28, 2022 **_(Saturday)

"Woo hoo! VIVA LAS VEGAS!" howled Brittany.

Mercedes, Santana, Rachel, Quinn, Tina and Kurt cheered back in unison, "Viva Las Vegas!"

All seven glasses clinked against one another as they raised a toast. They were in Vegas for their second night, and since most of them would be spending the next day on a plane, they chose tonight to drink it up at Margaritaville, celebrate Mercedes' engagement, and catch up with one another.

"So Q," started Santana as the last of the margaritas were set on their round table. "With the economy being in an upswing these days, the real estate biz must be good, hm?"

Quinn smiled and nodded as she lowered her water glass from her lips. "Yeah things are great. But I really owe your mom, Mercedes, for me being where I am."

"My _mom_?" questioned Mercedes.

"Yeah, I mean with her background in real estate, and putting in a good word from me after I finished at Yale, she gave me the career boost some people only dream about. I couldn't be happier right now. Things are coming together for Finn and I…" she stared thoughtfully at the princess cut diamond on her left finger, smiled and added, "and I didn't think I'd love Chicago as much as I do."

Tina and Mercedes side-eyed Rachel to gauge her reaction at the mention of Finn and Quinn's happiness, but the Broadway star tactfully looked about the restaurant as if she hadn't been listening.

Quinn noticed and swiftly shifted the attention, "What about you, Santana? Every time I come back to Lima to visit my mom, you're all over the local news."

The Latina woman smirked proudly, "That's because I'm still fighting the good fight. People want me to run for office, but I wanna stir up some more trouble as an "average Joe" before I throw my hat into any kind of elections."

Kurt eyed her, with pleasant shock. "Senator Lopez?"

"Governor Lopez," corrected Santana. "I'm not trying to be in DC—they'd have me removed for telling them every damn time how pointless their meetings are. But if I stayed in Ohio, I'd be the first openly femme, fierce, phenom and gay Governor, _and_ I could push my equal rights agenda."

With tiny claps, Kurt grinned and told her, "Well if you want tips or anything when you _do_ run for office, I'd be glad to put you in touch with my dad."

Santana grinned, "I'll keep that in mind, Lady Anderson."

Rachel finally joined the conversation, after sucking down half of her margarita. "What about you, Brittany? What are you doing these days?"

"I teach," Brittany answered in a matter-of-factly tone.

Sounding fascinated, Rachel asked, "Really? What do you teach?"

"Oh, you know…art, counting, good manners, reading, writing. But they mostly just learn how to write their names and the colors of the rainbow."

Rachel's brows pulled together. "What?"

Brittany passively shrugged, "It's what I teach. And they love me. Everyone loves me."

While the airy blonde resumed her drink, Rachel's confusion deepened. She looked expectedly to Santana for answers.

Santana rolled her eyes at her least-liked member of the group. "She teaches kindergarten, Genius. Yeah, Britts and I are both molding the minds of Ohio, little by little. Personally I think she took the smarter route though—ya'know, getting 'em while they're hatchlings"

"Oh, _ohh_!" said Rachel who was quickly turning red. "Sorry. I-I didn't know."

"Well ya _would_ know if you came up for air from the asshole of Broadway every once in a while."

Rachel lowered her restless gaze; Mercedes noticed the shameful look on her friend's face and thought quickly for something to avert the attention. Rachel was always driven—that had never changed. Somewhere during her marriage to Finn, it seemed like he might have half-expected for her slow down after she won her first Tony and when she didn't, their marriage started to crumble. After their divorce and Finn's reunion with Quinn, Rachel's attention to the theatre only went under a narrower scope. Santana somehow seemed to add salt to the wound with her ever-abrasive remarks, so Mercedes did her best to distract.

"Alright, alright no buzz-kills tonight. Let's have another toast before we order more drinks," Mercedes loudly decided. As planned, her group of friends looked to her and she raised her nearly finished margarita. "To my fabulous friends here—even Stacey, who's here with us in spirit! I love you guys!"

"Here, here!" the others cheered with another collision of glasses.

"I still don't understand why Stacey and Sam's parents wouldn't let her come," said Brittany before sipping down on her straw.

Quinn arched a brow, "Probably because she's only 17."

"Yeah, there really wouldn't have been anything fun for her to do here yet," added Mercedes, "but I promised I'd take her for her 21st."

"By the way Mercedes," chimed in Kurt while adjusting his pinstripe fedora, "You look fantastic tonight."

The bride-to-be—along with her friends—looked dressed to dance. She donned a fitted leopard print tube top with a thin black belt, black designer jeans and glitter gold peep toe pumps. Before they'd stepped out of the hotel that night, Brittany gave her pink sash which she hand wrote, "Future Mrs. Evans"on with a glitter pen. To top it off, the blonde crowned her friend's long, large curls with a sparkling tiara.

That evening, Brittany wore a sea green party dress with a messy up `do.  
>Kurt had a surprisingly toned down pinstripe pants-and-vest combination, with a plain white shirt and professionally side-swept hair.<br>Quinn had a flowy, knee-high, tropical print dress and short, crimped blonde locks.  
>Rachel had on a primary color-printed mod dress and loose curls, similar to Mercedes' weave.<br>Santana chose a glittery black cocktail dress, ruched from its sweetheart neckline down to its thigh-high hem. She complimented the sultry dress with a sharp, rockabilly hairstyle.  
>And along with her edgy, vertical hairdo, Tina decided on a black, high-collar baby doll dress with silver tights.<p>

"Thanks," said a euphoric Mercedes, "but we _all_ look hot tonight." As she took another sip of her drink, she noticed Tina looking devious and deeply engrossed in her phone. With a curious smirk, the singer asked, "Tina who are you texting? You look like you're back in high school."

"Must be her hubby," Brittany presumed.

"And Quinn, how come you're not drinking tonight?" asked Rachel. "We're all supposed to be celebrating."

Tina looked up from her phone when the table went silent, and joined the others at the table who were now wondering the same thing.

Quinn's lips pursed; she stared at Rachel for a moment, and then turned a longer, more apprehensive gaze on Mercedes. In her usually soft-spoke, raspy tone the blonde loudly whispered, "Because I'm pregnant."

Everyone's amused wonder quickly faded. Tina and Kurt soon turned anxious gazes on Mercedes while Santana and Brittany waited for an outburst of tears from Rachel. It seemed like everyone was waiting for someone to say _some_thing, but several seconds passed before that happened.

Finally, Mercedes leaned in her chair to her left and hugged Quinn. "Congratulations, Quinn. I'm really happy for you."

"Yeah let's just hope it's Finn's this time," Kurt flippantly mumbled. The instant the words left his mouth, he gasped and stared at Quinn like a deer in headlights. "Quinn I'm so sorry—that was out of line."

"Yeah, it was," she replied calmly. "And I should be mad…but I'm not. That was a long time ago; things are different now. And yes, it's Finn's which means you're going to be an uncle in about seven months."

Kurt smiled apologetically to the blonde, "Congratulations, Quinn. And I really am sorry."

"I forgive you."

Tina shook her head at the male and then brought her attention back to her phone.

"Tina! Girl you're killin' me with that phone. What are you doing?" Mercedes demanded with a disbelieving smile.

The Asian girl wore a smile of her own-a bit more devious than the diva's however. "Brittany was right—I'm texting Mike."

Mercedes sighed, "That's against the rules!"

Kurt shook his head while wiggling his phone in his head, "Yeah, even _I_ haven't caved yet. Blaine and I have only sent goodnight texts to each other but unless it involves Lizzie, we haven't spoken since we got here."

"Hey," Santana spoke up again, "that reminds me—where are your little rice balls at, Chang?"

"That's racist," noted Quinn.

Tina ignored the remark and said, "With their Grandma Julia. Mike's mom flew out to babysit and housesit while we're here. But listen, I found out where the guys are staying and I know where they are now."

"Where?" Kurt quickly asked. Mercedes stared at him and he shrugged, "What?"

The fashion designer looked at the bride-to-be, "Do you wanna know?"

Even though she answered a firm, "No!" Mercedes couldn't fight the smile that twitched at the corners of her lips.

"You're lying," Brittany outright stated.

"Yeah come on 'Cedes," added Santana. "We'll just drop in on them real quick and then we'll go back to the Luxor to hit up LAX. That club was looking wanky before we'd even left the hotel."

Mercedes bit her lip while she looked around the table; everyone seemed to reflect a desire of spying on the boys. She let her lip go to smile, "Alright, alright. Where are they, Tina?"

Grinning again, Tina glanced back down at her phone, "They're at Pure Nightclub in Caesar's Palace, where they're staying."

Mercedes brows came together, "Seriously? I thought they'd be more adventurous than that and they didn't even leave their hotel?"

"Who says they didn't?" challenged Tina. "I bet they've gone to other places, but Mike's definitely a little tipsy right now, or else he wouldn't have told me."

"Okay enough chatting," interjected Quinn. "Let's pay for our drinks and go. I still want to do a little bit of dancing before I get too tired."

There was a consensus around the table, with the exception of Rachel, who hadn't spoken since Quinn's announcement.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More's coming very soon! We'll be seeing what the boys are up to in Sin City...<strong>_


	11. The Beast & the Harlot

_**May 28/29, 2022**_ (continued)

"To Sam Evans! The dude who's about to be taken off the market for good. Congrats, man."

The future groom grinned and raised a shot glass in Finn's direction, along with an already drunk Blaine, Artie, Jay and Mike. After they all tossed back their Hennessy, Mike ruffled Sam's hair and Artie leaned across his wheelchair armrest to throw a playful punch at the blond's arm. He missed.

Sam leaned his head away from Mike's reach but looked to Finn and said, "Yeah you're next!"

"Don't know yet. We were thinking winter but it gets crazy cold in Chicago. So we might wait til next spring."

"Cool dude," was Sam's response before his eyes scanned the booth and then asked, "Any advice you guys have for me?"

"Yeah don't fuck up," his friend Jay bluntly said. The rest of the guys laughed and Mike fist bumped him.

Sam loudly called Jay out, "Dude, you're not even married!"

"Tsh, well don't look at me," was Artie's response. "You know I ain't never been married."

Mike turned his half-lidded gaze on the bespectacled male, "Yeah but you got a girl…uh…"

"Monica."

"Yeah! Monica," recalled Mike. "How long have you two been together now? Three years?"

"Four years. Ever since I started at Apple." Leaning against his armrest for support, he looked to Sam and said, "You're gonna have to pass the tips down to me one day."

Sam coughed an obviously inebriated cackle, "You got it."

The conversation and jeering carried on a bit longer before Sam pulled himself to his feet and said, "I'mma go order another round of shots for us." He took one wobbly step out of the booth and then quickly staggered to the nearby rail for support.

"Uh, maybe I should go Sam," offered Blaine as he started to stand. "This _is _your bachelor party after all."

The future groom waved off his friend, "I got this dude."

Mike grinned devilishly and left the booth as well, "I'll…I'll go with him."

The two best friends leaned on one another as they walked with messy coordination, away from the VIP area and headed to the bar. While they swayed and waited to be tended to, Sam was approached by a young woman. She was unnaturally tan with platinum blonde locks and a firey red cocktail dress.

"Hey Sam," she purred.

Mike's brows shot up while Sam's pair knitted. "Uh…do I know you?" he asked.

"It's me, silly. Hannah?"

Sam's confusion deepened, "…Sorry, doesn't ring any bells."

"I saw you come in earlier tonight. You and I went to middle school together…you don't remember?"

As Sam gave one long shrug, she stepped closer to him, "Here, let me remind you."

With one firm grip on his shirt collar, the girl named Hannah smashed her lips fervently to Sam's.

* * *

><p>The girls had no trouble getting into Pure Nightclub. The waiting crowd outside got riled up and several flashes went off at the sight of Mercedes, Rachel and Tina when they emerged from the limo with their friends. Right away, the bouncer at the door greeted the ladies and let them inside.<p>

"Hey um, I'm gonna go find a restroom," announced Rachel as soon as they walked in.

"Me too," said Brittany. "I have to pee out my margarita before I start dancing."

Tina started digging in her purse as she told the remaining girls, "I think I'll go with them. See if it's quiet enough in there for me to call and check on Mikey and Sawyer."

Mercedes' brows came together, "Tina, it's 2 in the morning."

"Exactly," responded the fashion designer. "Sawyer will be up right now. We'll come find you guys in a sec."

As she followed after the two, the remaining members of the group started sifting through the crowd with their eyes to try and spot a familiar face. As Mercedes rose up on her toes to try and see over some of the people on the dance floor, one guy—around 21 or 22—nervously approached her and fumbled over his request for a picture with her.

"Sure," Mercedes said back. When he held up his phone, Mercedes shook her head, "Uh-uh, hold up." She looked to her friends, "Kurt can you take this picture please?"

Wordlessly, Kurt took the phone and prepared to snag a photo. Mercedes stuck out one hip and cast a sassy smirk while the club-goer put a hand on her shoulder. After getting the picture, the guy repeatedly thanked Mercedes, told her he loved her music and then nervously shuffled off into the crowd.

Mercedes then made her way to Kurt and rested her head against his shoulder, "Okay can we just find the guys, say 'Hi' and go? I'm not even pregnant and I'm already getting tired." She looked at Santana and Quinn who hadn't moved since they entered the club. The diva raised her head from her best friend's shoulder and waved her hand in front of the other two women's faces, "Hellooo? What's with you two?"

Quinn blinked and turned a nervous gaze on Mercedes, "Um.."

"We found Sam," said Santana, jutting a finger straight ahead.

The singer followed her friend's point until she saw Sam, clear across the other side of the club. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head when she saw him. Whoever he was with tilted their head in such a way that Mercedes could no longer see their lips mashed against each other, but she saw Sam's hands go up as if he were surrendering a battle.

It was like watching a car collision for Mercedes; she wanted to look away but her eyes wouldn't allow it. For one second she waited to see if Sam would end the kiss, but he didn't. Mercedes saw him stand and take it! His back bowed away from the girl but their lips were still together.

After getting past the initial seconds of shock, the diva's entire frame filled with fury. From the top of her head, to the tips of her fingers, right down to her toes, she burned with rage.

Without further thought, Mercedes wove her way through the gyrating bodies until she was directly behind the girl. Santana, Kurt and Quinn followed closely behind her. She gripped the blonde's shoulder and turned her around with one finger held up to her face.

"I'm giving you to the count of _one_ to step off my man."

The platinum blonde clicked her tongue in doubt and disgust at Mercedes. "Your man?"

"_Yes_, my man."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

From over her shoulder, Mercedes heard Santana loudly ask, "Who the hell—does this bitch live under a rock?"

At her other shoulder, Quinn joined in the conversation, looking just as annoyed as Santana. "Are you stupid? We all just saw you kiss her man and you want to know who she is?"

The blonde cut Santana and Quinn a look but spoke directly to Mercedes, "So, what? Are you afraid of some competition? Because trust me, sweetie I'm sure he's wanting more of what _I_ have to offer." She looked back at Sam, whose face was still caught between shock and anger.

Unable to help herself, Mercedes barked a laugh at the same time that her Latina friend said, "Just let me take _one_ swing at this bitch. 'Cedes knows I still got that LHA hospitality." The singer didn't bother check her back, but she only guessed Quinn and Kurt were trying to keep Santana from further engaging into the fight.

"Girl don't bother. I got this," Mercedes said with a fleeting look over her shoulder. When she locked gazes with the blonde, her gaze intensified with her tone. "Take a good look, Slut-hoe Barbie." She turned her wrist to display her engagement ring, "Now unless you want this stamped all over your face, I suggest you get to steppin'."

The blond took one step to Mercedes, but stopped herself from challenging the singer's threat. At that moment, Rachel, Tina and Brittany had returned from the bathroom and curiously joined Mercedes' flanks.

"Is there a problem here, Ms. Jones?" asked a husky voice.

The group looked to their right where one of the club's burly bouncers now stood.

Mercedes glared at the girl she'd deemed a slut and then smiled kindly at the bouncer. "No, we're fine. Thank you though."

"Alright," the bouncer warily answered. He eyed the platinum blonde and waited for her to walk away before he himself departed from the group.

Mercedes let out a shaky, angry sigh, rolling her eyes shut. When she opened them again, her eyes saw Mike staring stunned over Sam's shoulder. The Asian man shook his head and said, "Damn, Mercedes, you were a beast!"

"Shut up, Mike," ordered Tina. Her husband swiftly looked away with reddening cheeks.

Sam looked back at his best friend—knowing he wasn't helping—and then back to his fiancée. He wiped his lips with the back of his hands, "Mercedes, I thought you all were at Margaritaville toni—"

Whatever else he was going to say was halted by the open-palmed hand Mercedes put in his face. After a few seconds, she closed her fingers into a fist and lowered her hand to her side while she glared up at the blond male and asked, "What the _hell_ was that?"

Utterly taken aback, Sam's eyebrows came together, "What? I didn't—"

"Damn straight you _didn't_! You didn't even try to push her off you!

Sam's brows instantly shot up. Was she seriously blaming _him_ for what just happened? He found himself quickly sobering up. "Mercedes! Are you kidding me?"

"I am _not_ smiling, Samuel. Not even a little bit."

By now he knew getting his full first name from Mercedes was never a good thing. "I didn't kiss her!" he insisted.

Her voice raised while her eyes burned narrowly at him, "So what? You were just gonna stand there and wait for her to stop kissing you?"

"Pfft she'd suck his big-ass lips off before that'd happen," muttered Santana.

"Stay outta this, Santana!" growled Sam.

"I can't believe you," seethed Mercedes.

Outraged and offended, Sam threw his hands up, "Do you remember what happened last time something like this happened? I almost got a lawsuit for pushing that chick offa me! This girl could've tried pressing charges too!"

"I don't give a damn about an 'almost' lawsuit—_let _that slut press charges! I care about you cheating on me!"

He angrily blurted out, "Don't be stupid—I wouldn't cheat on you!"

Visibly taken aback, yet still incensed, Mercedes asked, "Oh, so now I'm stupid?"

"I didn't say you were stupid! I said you're _being _stupid!"

If Mercedes eyes were narrowed any further, they'd be shut. After breathing in her fair share of his alcohol breath, she started to say something harsh to him, but the sudden flash of a camera stopped her. The thudding bass of the music and the pungent smell of sweat and alcohol should have kept her well-aware of her surroundings, but up until the flash, she'd practically forgotten that there were others around. After huffing out a deep breath, she shook her head, removed her tiara, and promptly turned to leave. Her party of friends followed while a lurking bouncer passed by to find the person with the camera.

Sam started to go after Mercedes, but Rachel noticed and whipped around, putting her hands to Sam's chest. "Sam m-maybe you should leave her alone. Just…l-let her cool off tonight and come by the Luxor tomorrow."

"I didn't cheat on her, Rachel," Sam gritted his teeth.

Rachel opened her mouth to tell him her thoughts but she lost the opportunity.

"Berry! Three seconds, or you're walking back!" called Kurt.

With sad eyes, she snapped her mouth shut and hurried off to the limousine, leaving Sam at the doors.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! Are Sam and Mercedes going to be able to work this out before the wedding? Is Rachel right—does Mercedes just need a night to calm down and sleep off the margaritas? Is Sam going to dig his heels in on the incident? Let me know what you think!<strong>_


	12. Drunken Words & Sober Thoughts

_**May 29, 2022**_(Saturday night/Sunday morning)

Sam left the club—heavy upset carved on his face as he made a focused effort to get back to the hotel. Mike stumbled after him and sluggishly clapped a hand to his shoulder to slow him down, but Sam shrugged it off.

"Hey!...Hey, come on S-sam," slurred the pro dancer. "Calm down, dude."

"No!" snapped the blond. "It's bullshit!"

Mike flinched away, "Whoa. You're really…really, really pissed about this, huh?"

"What do _you_ think?" Sam angrily retorted. "She thinks I cheated on her! I don't even _know _that chick!"

"Dude…dude…dude, dude,dude—" Mike giggled.

"_What?_"

"She's gonna come around. Jussst let her calm down. She saw you kiss another girl and—"

"I DIDN'T KISS HER!" Sam yelled, his arms flailing to emphasize his persistence. A few people walking along the strip turned their heads in his and Mike's direction.

Mike held his hands up in surrender while his legs danced around each other, "I know, I know…jusss…just relax. That's all I'm saying… Relax, and let her relax."

Having no interest in saying anything else, Sam glared harshly at the ground and continued his trek in silence. He rolled his eyes a few times at his happily drunk best friend, but eventually the two reached the Caesars Palace lobby. Mike tried cheering him up a few times—either through corny jokes or his own drunken antics—but Sam remained upset and un-amused.

Within an hour of getting back to the suite, Mike had passed out on the couch while Sam took a long, hot shower. The warm water helped clear his head and calm him down. As he dried off and slipped on some pajamas, he heard the suite door open and the common room fill with his friends' loud, jolly voices. Sam sighed and tried to quietly sneak to bed without being detected but he was unsuccessful.

"Sammy Boy! Hold up!" called his friend Jay. His olive-skinned face was absolutely euphoric as he appeared at the opposite end of the hallway.

"Yeah, we saw that showdown with you and Mercy and that chick," added Finn.

Sam's stealthy strides faltered long enough for him to say, "Good night." The calm from the hot shower was quickly wearing off.

"Whoa, whoa hold on man!" Jay approached him in quick, sloppy strides; he hooked Sam around the neck, breathing beer and Hennessy in Sam's face as he brought him out of the hallway to join the rest of the guys again. Artie looked like he was on the verge of passing out in his chair, and Blaine was dancing to music that could only be heard in his head. Finn appeared to be the only partially sober one.

Sam was brought down into a leather chair by Jay's dead weight; the fellow composer promptly plopped to the carpet with a thud but didn't seem to care. "So tell us what the hell happened?" he asked.

It wasn't something Sam wanted to rehash—as made evident on his face—but he knew his friend wasn't gonna let up until he knew. As briefly as possible, he retold the events that occurred after he and Mike went to get them all more shots. By the time he'd finished, Blaine wandered to the bathroom to shower, Artie was snoring; Jay was sprawled out on the floor with his hands buried in his thick, jet black hair. Being nearly as tall as Finn, he'd taken up a lot of floor space. And Finn himself was sitting in front of Mike's feet with his eyebrows near his hairline.

"Damn, dude," Finn whispered.

"Yeah. I know," Sam curtly replied.

"I don't get it dude," mumbled Jay as he stretched his arms out and yawned, "Why are your balls in a twist over it?"

Sam lowered his head into his hand with a solid '_slap_!'. He dragged his hand down his face and muttered between his fingers, "Did you hear _anything _I said?"

"Yeah, yeah some girl kissed you. Mercedes saw and flipped. You denied it and called her dumb. She stormed out."

"I didn't call her dumb," argued Sam.

Finn's brows relaxed as he chimed in, "No but you told her she was being stupid. That's kinda the same thing."

The blond cast a stone-faced gaze at the tall brunette.

"Listen, you and I have known Mercedes for a long time," continued Finn. "She's a diva. She has her moments of drama. And I bet it wasn't even that bad; _trust_ me I know bad drama. But just let her cool off and then go to her room and talk to her tomorrow."

Jay sat up, "Wait you know where they're staying at?"

The blond leaned back in his chair while sighing, "Yeah, Rachel said they're at the Luxor."

"What are you waiting for then, man? Go talk to your girl!"

"Nooo, no, no, no," Finn repeatedly shook his head. "Don't do that."

Jay's brows came together, "Why not?"

"Trust me, dude. If he goes tonight, they'll just end up fighting more." The former quarterback then looked back to his friend, "You wanted my advice tonight, right? Let her sleep it off—get both your heads clear, then talk to her tomorrow."

Sam shook his head in a defeatist manner, rose from the chair and headed back down the hallway to his room.

* * *

><p>Rachel raised brows when she decided to go to the Luxor's LAX with Santana and Brittany, but Mercedes was secretly grateful; the fewer people to repeatedly ask if she was okay, the better. While the three girls peeled off from the group, Kurt and the remaining two girls followed Mercedes to the elevator and up to their suite. They took turns showering and by the time they all finished, the singer had gone to bed.<p>

Kurt was the last to shower, and when he emerged from the bathroom in his candy-striped pajamas, he made a direct trip to his best friend's room. After a couple of knocks on the door, he heard Mercedes tell him to go away.

He opened the door anyway and marched right to the room's only bed. Mercedes was hidden by the blankets, save her night-capped head. "Well I did the polite thing by knocking but as you can see, I was coming in regardless. Plus, you seem to have forgotten that we share this bed and I don't sleep on the floor." As he sat down, a still visibly irate Mercedes sat up revealing a black silk pajama top with lipstick tubes printed all over it. He saw her scowl at him, but soon looked to the door where nightgown-clad Quinn was now standing. Kurt brought his gaze back to the singer while insisting, "Mercedes, talk to us."

"You shouldn't go to bed angry," Quinn softly added, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

Mercedes looked to her friends, "How can I _not_ go to bed mad? You guys were there. You saw what I saw."

"You're right, we did," agreed Quinn. "But what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. The wedding's in two weeks."

A suddenly wide-eyed Kurt asked, "Ohh god, please don't tell me you're going to call it off."

"No," Mercedes said, quickly shushing and relieving Kurt. "I'm not about to throw everything we have over…that. And I know he was drunk and she was stupid as hell. But that doesn't make me forget what I saw."

Quinn shifted on the bed. "I don't think anyone's expecting you to forget what you saw, Mercedes. But think about what you heard. Your drunk fiancé was still sober enough to be honest with you and tell you the truth beyond what you saw."

"All he said was that he didn't kiss her and that I was stupid."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Mercedes that wasn't _all _he said to you. He told you why he didn't push her away. And yeah he was drunk but he didn't look like he was enjoying himself."

"And she was grabbing him. Sam wasn't touching her."

Mercedes' chin dipped while her brows and lips came together. "Whose side are you guys on?"

"Yours," answered Quinn.

"And Sam's," Kurt added shortly after.

The dark-skinned diva's eyes narrowed slightly, feeling a bit betrayed before Kurt explained, "Don't put Quinn and I on sides, Mercedes. You know we love and care about you _and_ Sam. That's why we're trying to shine some perspective other than your one-tracked rage."

After a deep breath, Mercedes admitted, "I just…" she sighed, "I just wanted him to fight for me."

"Fight for what?" an exasperated Kurt asked, causing both girls to jump. "Mercedes that was probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say. Sam_ loves _you! It wasn't like he just up and walked away from your relationship or something. And you know Sam doesn't think you're stupid. Neither do I, but if you bit Sam's head off because you wanted him to "fight for you", then I do think you're being really absurd."

Mercedes was rendered speechless. Every time she thought she was used to Kurt's blunt honesty and tough love, he'd always top himself. It was usually hard for her to hear, but more often than not, he was right. As she brooded over the brunette's words, Quinn's soft voice rasped.

"You're flying to Lima for the week, right?"

"Yeah."

"You need to talk this out with Sam before you go, and before the wedding, Mercedes. I know it's not the same thing, but when Finn and I started to reconnect, we agreed to be completely honest with each other, no matter how much it might hurt or upset the other person."

"Sam and I don't have an honesty issue, Quinn."

"My _point_ is," she sharpened while still keeping her tone low. "You sound like you're looking for this Shakespearean public display of affection from Sam. The drama of seeing him push that girl away or more, would have been more gratifying for you. But it isn't what happen and now here you are." She dropped a hand in Mercedes' direction to emphasize her point.

Mercedes cheeks darkened. The double-whammy from Kurt and Quinn made her lower her gaze; she couldn't remember the last time she felt so small. It wasn't until Quinn rose from the bed that she looked up again.

"I'm going to bed before Santana and the others come back. Otherwise, I'll never get to sleep, but Mercedes…I really hope you and Sam talk this out soon. You two have 10 years of a good thing behind you. That's rare these days, and it would be really sad to see it end—especially over something like this."

Kurt and Mercedes watched her go, and as soon the bedroom door closed, Kurt slipped beneath the covers, looked to Mercedes and said, "Translation? It's a petty fight. And the moral of our story is: don't go into silent treatment mode, and no more dropping in on his boys' nights."

* * *

><p><em><strong>May 29, 2022<strong>_

On Sunday, Mercedes woke up for about the fourth time. This time however, she noticed that the bed was half-empty. Where Kurt should have been, there was a note instead. Mercedes rubbed her eyes and picked up the note to read: _Went to brunch with Tina, Q, and Rachel. S & B are still sleep. Be sure to answer the door_. He finished it with a heart and his "hKa" signature that matched the logo used for his business.

His last sentence had Mercedes feeling confused. As she stared at the sentence trying to decipher what he was talking about, the suite doorbell rang. "What is this—_The Matrix_?" she muttered quizzically to herself. Unnerved by the timing, Mercedes got out of the bed, wandered through the suite and opened the door as Kurt instructed.

Standing on the other side was a casually-dressed Sam. Mercedes looked up and down at his grey sweats, white v-neck and open grey hoodie. The sleeves of said jacket had been cut off by Sam shortly after he purchased it, and tended to wear it often. Mercedes fondly remembered questioning his reason for removing the sleeves. When he told her that he wanted a sleeveless hood with a zipper, she informed him that there _were_ zip-up hoodies that were intentionally made that way. Earlier that month, she purchased two sleeveless zip-up hoodies for him as one of his birthday presents—a white one and a blue one, both hosting the Navy's logo on the back. He never snipped the sleeves off of another jacket again.

She wasn't fully aware of the faint smirk she was now wearing as she said, "Hi," to her fiancé.

"Hi," was his response. Neither of them seeming interested in speaking beyond that.

Mercedes let him in and the two walked wordlessly to the room she and Kurt shared. Sam slipped his hands inside his hoodie pockets. His eyes were restless, as though the words he was looking to say were floating around the carpet. Mercedes sat down on at the foot of the bed, staring up at him.

"Sam, I—"

"Mercedes—"

Both stopped once they realized they were talking over each other. Mercedes momentarily bit her lip and Sam averted his gaze from her again.

"I'm sorry."

Sam's eyes snapped back to her as if he hadn't heard her correctly. To say those words coming from her were unexpected, would have been a huge understatement. There weren't many times where Mercedes apologized for anything she said or did. Most of the time, it was because she didn't have a need to apologize for the things she said or did.

Mercedes' voice was low and uneven but she went on once she held his gaze with hers. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was so mad last night when I saw that girl on you. Mostly I was mad because I wanted you to respond to her a certain way—even though it wasn't your fault. But…I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."

"Why were you even there?" Sam asked while shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

She shook her head, throwing her moistening irises heavenward, "I don't know. We were just gonna stop by, say 'Hi' and then go. Believe me, I'm sorry I did that too."

"You know…you do realize you just insisted I believe your apology, when last night I was practically begging you to believe that I didn't kiss her."

With a trembling sigh she said, "No…I didn't realize that. I do now, but—"

"But," Sam interrupted, pulling his hands out of his pockets. He sounded slightly irritated as he asked, "I shouldn't get mad at the double standard, walk back out of here and consider taking my annoyance on the plane with me?" He opened his arms and stepped towards her while asking, "I should accept your apology right now and forgive you here?"

Mercedes flushed while her eyes filled with fresh tears. She felt small again, and couldn't take her eyes off of Sam's stony face as her lips tried to form a reply.

"I do, Mercedes."

It was her turn to look at him as if she hadn't heard him correctly. But Sam's words were even-toned and as clear as they were calm.

He shrugged and then repeated, "I do accept your apology. Right now. And I forgive you."

"I overreacted," she whispered, finally finding her voice.

"Yeah. We do that from time to time." He extended a hand to her; rather than taking it, Mercedes slid off of the bed and wrapped her arms around his torso. Sam closed his arms around her shoulders while evenly saying, "But you and I can't turn into people who say they love each other but walk away angry, or doubt each other's words because that's not us. That's never been us, Mercedes. We believe in each other and we're honest with one another.

"I know..." It wasn't often that Sam made her feel like this. Usually when she felt childlike around him, it was because of his playfulness. But she looked up, took a deep breath and gained control of her voice. "Sam I love you, and I trust you. And I really am sorry."

For the first time since he showed up at the hotel, Sam smiled at her. It wasn't particularly large but it was enough to say to Mercedes, "_I know you are._"

After rising up on her toes, Mercedes moved her arms up around his neck to hug him in her favorite way. Sam held her a little tighter as she murmured, "Thank you for forgiving me. And loving me."

Sam kissed her cheek, "I'll always love you, Benz."

* * *

><p><em><strong>PLEASE leave reviews! Have Quinn, Kurt, Mike and Finn given their longtime friends solid maritalrelationship advice? Were you satisfied with Sam and Mercedes' resolution? Did you think it was accurate for Mercedes to have apologized to Sam? Why do you suppose Mercedes is flying to home to Lima? Answers to that last question are coming in the next chapter: Attitude Adjustment. Thanks for reading!**_


	13. Attitude Adjustment

_**June 4, 2022**_ (Saturday)

In the early stages of the wedding planning, Viola Jones-Owens made an adamant request to throw her daughter a small bridal shower in Lima. So after Vegas, Mercedes had flown with Santana and Brittany back to Lima. She enjoyed the week with her mom, dad and her brother—who had moved back to Ohio after graduating from college. Most of her time was spent with her mom however. They went shopping together—mostly to find Viola a pair of shoes to wear for the wedding—and worked on assembling 'Thank you' gifts for the guests together. The night before the shower, Mercedes had gone to bed early, and was asleep for the arrival of her two aunts and two cousins. Of the Jones women, her mother was the eldest: Cassandra Jones was the second eldest, and Melinda Jones was the youngest. And while they grew up in the same home, their personalities could not be more different.

Viola passed her personality on to her children—more so Mercedes. She was a strong, sassy, outspoken and fierce-loving woman who felt just as supported by her faith as the spine in her body. Cassandra, or "Cassie" was also incredibly outspoken—often to a fault. Her frequent suspicions of everyone and everything, and her affinity for gossip frequently led to arguments between her and Viola. She remained in the same Mississippi home where their mother raised them and kept herself close to a small circle of similar gossip-loving church friends. Aunt Mel, the youngest, was the least vocal of the three. Mercedes and her cousins (Melinda's twin nineteen-year old daughters) usually viewed her as the peacekeeper between Viola and Cassandra. Melinda was an honest, kind and faithful but incredibly timid. Of her two aunts, Mercedes loved her most—and for good reason. Mostly because Aunt Mel and her mother were closer to each other than Aunt Cassie and her mother, but also because her Aunt Mel shared Viola's loving spirit.

The morning of the shower, the singer was woken up by her Aunt Cassie's boisterous voice giving passive aggressive remarks downstairs about breakfast. Viola and Melinda were in the kitchen baking biscuits and frying sausage and eggs, but Cassandra loomed over them, commenting about how, "That's not the way Momma taught us." The singer rolled her sleepy eyes and promptly slammed a pillow over her head in a failed attempt to mute her aunt's nagging. After seconds of trying, she gave up, grabbed her toiletries and outfit for the day, and slipped into the upstairs bathroom. She hurried to brush her teeth, but took her time in the shower—grateful that the rushing water was loud enough to drown out Aunt Cassie's voice. She didn't care that she was missing breakfast, and if she could drag it out, she'd stay in the bathroom until noon when her bridal shower was supposed to start.

After styling the ends and bangs of her weave, Mercedes dressed in a dark denim pencil skirt and matching vest with a bright, multi-colored blouse underneath. Topping her look off with a denim fedora, she gathered up her things and went back to her old bedroom. Someone downstairs heard the doors open and shut however, because she was summoned by a loud, nasal Cassandra.

"Mercedes, you awake yet? Get down here and say hello to somebody!" Under her breath, though still loud enough to be heard, she muttered, "We fly all the way out here and she can't say 'Good morning' to nobody, just 'cause she got her head filled with a Hollywood wedding."

Mercedes shut her eyes, drew in a deep breath and noisily exhaled it before leaving the room. "One more day, one more day…" she quietly reminded to herself as she left her old room and came downstairs. The first person she saw was her Aunt Mel. The woman smiled and rushed to hug her niece. Mercedes returned the fierce hug and then went to hug her cousins, Justine and Vanessa. Hanging in the background was her Aunt Cassie—the tallest of the Jones sisters. Mercedes' smile faltered when she gave, and received, an uncomfortable, cold hug from Aunt Cassie. Thankfully, Aunt Melinda and her cousins swept her up in conversations of the shower, as well as her Grammy win earlier that year. Justine and Vanessa were more invested in knowing which celebrities she met that night, who she sat near, and what the after party was like.

In the midst of Mercedes' re-telling of the night, her mother emerged from the kitchen with trays of finger food for the shower. It was planned to be a small gathering—the only others expected to attend were Santana, Brittany and one of Viola's real estate friends. Within the next half hour, the three had shown up; Mercedes introduced her friends and informed her family that Santana was one of her bridesmaids. Justine and Vanessa told the Latina that they'd heard about her on the news the night before.

"Happens all the time," was Santana's shameless response.

The group of women sat around the Owens' living room, eating and chattering away until Viola called their attention. She set down a tray but its content was covered by aluminum foil. They were getting ready to start on a game to see how well Mercedes knew her groom which sparked an amused interest from her friends in particular.

"Now, if you get the questions wrong Mercedes, you have to eat something from this tray." She pointed to the covered one while Mercedes' face contorted and the others in the room ominously laughed. "I got all the answers directly from Sam so if you don't agree with them, they're straight from the horse's mouth," her mother said with a smile. Her smile soon faded however, when she realized she'd left the questions upstairs. "I'll be right back," she said with an apologetic grin before hastily leaving the room.

Hardly a beat of silence could pass before the pleasant atmosphere was snuffed.

"So you marryin' that white boy?" asked her Aunt Cassie.

Mercedes' eyes widened but she narrowed her gaze just as quickly.

"Who cares what race he is, Cassandra? He's makin' Mercy happy and he's takin' care 'a her. That's what's impor'nt," spoke her Aunt Melinda.

"I just wanted to know. Shoot, last time I saw her on the cover of _Us_, she was holdin' hands with some white boy."

Although grateful for her Aunt Melinda's defense, Mercedes clenched her jaw. She had enough respect for her mother, not to rip into her Aunt Cassie, but that was the _only_ thing that kept her tongue locked behind her teeth. If looks could kill however, Aunt Cassie would already be stone cold dead on the floor.

"What's his name again?"

_None of your damn business_, Mercedes wanted to answer. "Sam."

Her Aunt Cassie proceeded with her interrogation. "That short for Samuel or Samson?"

"Samuel," clipped Mercedes.

"How'd you two meet?"

"High school."

Aunt Cassie's lips spread into the most insincere smile imaginable. And in the blink of an eye, it vanished. "Cute. Do his parents like you?"

"Love me," Mercedes answered with the same stiff sweetness.

"So what does he do?"

"Composer."

"Is he rich?"

"Cassandra!" Aunt Melinda scolded.

"_Excuse me_?" Mercedes cocked a brow at her aunt. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! She knew her Aunt Cassie to be crass, but this was beyond rude and invasive.

"What?" her Aunt Cassie responded. "I just wanna know if he's able to take care of himself and you, or if he's just tryin' to take you for a fool. Get his-self comfy offa your success."

Mercedes face contorted as if she'd smelled something awful; not a far cry from the disgust that she felt from her aunt's words. Aunt Cassie seemed oblivious to her expression though when she was bluntly informed that Sam is plenty successful on his own.

"Hmph," was her dubious response. "You have any sex with him?"

"Cassie!" hissed Aunt Melinda.

That did it. As her mother returned from her bedroom, an enraged Mercedes got on her feet, balled up her fists at her sides and loudly said, "Yes, Aunt Cassie. Sam and I have had sex, and you know what? It's been amazing _every damn_ _time_! Look, I don't need you judging me, or what I do, or even _who_ I do for that matter! And if you have a problem with that then you can forget the invitation we mailed you and spend another Sunday gossiping about me with your church friends in Jackson. As for me? I'm gonna go call my sexy_ white_ fiancée, tell him I love him and thank him for _ALL _that great sex!"

Shaking with anger, the singer turned on her heels and stormed past her shocked mother who caught the end of her daughter's vicious retort.

Viola called after her daughter, but Mercedes made no attempts to stop until she was outside. Before slamming the door, she heard Santana flat out say, "Rude."

The familiar, late spring Lima breeze made her realize how hot her face now was. She hadn't planned on storming out, so for a brief moment she stood in the driveway, unsure of where to go. But she soon broke into a brisk stride, heading straight for the tinted BMW rental.

Once she was seated in the driver's seat, Mercedes slammed the door shut, pulled out her phone and made good on her declaration to call Sam. Of course she had no plans to relay her gratitude for his sex abilities—true as they may be—but she _did_ need to talk to him after all that had just happened. As she waited for Sam to pick up, all of her anger from the previous incident slammed into her and forced a trail of hot tears down her face.

"How's the shower, Benz?" Sam's low voice asked upon picking up the call.

Mercedes sniffed once, "I'm about two seconds away from an early flight back to Beverly Hills."

"What? Why, what happened?"

As Mercedes rehashed the mounted tension between her and her Aunt Cassie, she skirted around some of the blatantly racist remarks. It was hard for her to know if Sam was going to be more offended than she was or not but she wasn't going to take the chance of imprinting the hurt on him.

"Wow. That was really…" Sam thought about the right word and finally settled on, "rude."

"That's what Santana said. Right before I slammed the door. She didn't have your calmness though."

"Well…that's Santana for you. Plus it's hard for me to be as angry as you must feel when I'm not there, y'know? Don't get me wrong—it's upsetting to hear, but—"

Mercedes sighed, "I understand what you're trying to say, Sam. And I shouldn't let her get under my skin like she does, but I couldn't stand listening to her talk about you like you're some…worthless nobody who's after my money."

"That's probably another reason why I'm not seeing red right now. Remember Junior year when you all thought I was cheating with Quinn and Kurt?"

That was a double sore spot for Mercedes; her cheeks burned from her instantly remembering her guilt for chiming in on that attack on Sam back then. And then she snapped at him again for nearly the same reason just last week. Though she didn't want to admit it, she responded, "Yes."

"Part of why I was so mad was because I thought you guys _knew_ me better than that. Your aunt doesn't know me at all. So to me, she's no different than the garbage they've printed about you or our relationship in _The National Inquirer_."

She would always love Sam's ability to give perspective in ways she sometimes couldn't. More often than not, it calmed her down significantly. This was one of those times. And as she thought about this, she took a deep breath and softly smiled to herself.

Sam spoke up again after a moment's silence, "So what do you want to do?"

"You have no _idea_ what I wanna do to her."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think I have a pretty good idea. But I was actually talking about the wedding. We invited her, remember?"

"Oh…" Mercedes' lips puckered sourly at the dismal reminder.

"Do you still want her to come?"

"No," she hastily replied, "but I already told her she was more than welcome _not_ to come."

Sam paused and then chuckled, "Man I wish I'd heard what you actually told her."

Mercedes smirked, "Why?"

"Benz, I love you. And I love your compassion for others, but you can cut throats with your words when you want to."

"Well…" she mused, bobbing her head from side to side thoughtfully until an agreeing, "true," left her lips.

She could tell Sam was smiling on the other end as he asked, "How do you feel now?"

"Better now. Thank you for checking," she replied, smiling softly with him.

"Are you gonna stick it out for one more day or should I plan on picking you up at the LAX tonight?"

With a light pout Mercedes grumbled, "Nooo, I'll stay." She looked out of the windshield to see Brittany emerge from the front door, obviously looking for her.

"I better go though. But I'll call you tonight," promised the singer. "I love you."

"I love you too. Hang in there."

Mercedes ended the call and got back out of the rental. As she neared the house again she caught the end of her mother's sharp tongue lashing. Someone must have filled her in on what happened and if Mercedes had to take a bet, it was either a joint effort by Santana and Brittany or Aunt Cassandra herself.

All the articulation and kindness was gone from Viola's voice; her Southern vernacular always came out when she was angry enough. Mercedes hadn't heard a tone like this from her mom since her brother Marcus got caught sneaking a girl out of his room his senior year. He was grounded for a month and nearly missed his prom.

"…and if you _ev'a_ talk about my son-in-law like that again Cassandra, or question his motives with my daughter, I'm gon' take you outside and show you what bein' childish is _really_ like. I promise you, and you _know_ I don' break my promises."

"Look Vi, I said I was sorry. Quit actin' like you my momma!" spat Aunt Cassie with a fold of her arms.

Mercedes' mom was quick to mock her, "Quit actin' like you a child then, Cass!"

Santana snorted, having an obvious fondness for Mercedes' mother. She caught Mercedes' wide-eyed warning however, and buttoned her lips.

"Now I accept your apology for actin' a fool in my house," continued Viola, "but you _need_ to be apologizing to your niece. Today ain't about you—it's about her and her engagement."

Clearly embarrassed but even more visibly upset, Aunt Cassie turned her tight gaze onto Mercedes. Apologies weren't common for her, but she over-articulated, "I'm sorry Mercedes," to her niece.

Mercedes pursed her lips but nodded as her acceptance of the words. She wasn't going to stir the pot by calling out her aunt's lack of sincerity. And as Brittany went to sit back down by her girlfriend, Mercedes took a seat in the chair her mom decorated in curled ribbons, especially for her.

Viola huffed one loud breath, composing herself again, and then picked up a short stack of index cards. She was still visibly irritated, but her determination to give her daughter a good shower overruled the daggers biding time in her eyes. "Now…the game. First question Mercedes…"

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! They are always appreciated! What did you think of Mercedes' relatives? Want to see any of them appear again later on? Let me know! I'll do my best to incorporate any ideas that might come along! And thanks for reading! More's on the way!<strong>_


	14. Rated Sex

_**June 11, 2022**_ (Saturday)

Since the majority of Sam's groomsmen had reserved rooms at the hotel, Kurt decided to kick Sam and Stevie out of the Evans house and have the girls stay. "_What about you and Blaine?_" Stevie balked earlier, to which Kurt said, "_Hello? Wedding planner over here! I need to be here in the morning when my crew arrives to set up. And Blaine's looking after Lizzie seeing as I'll be busy, and it'd be easier for them to be here at the house rather than him carting her back and forth from the hotel_."

With that, he and Sam, along with Mike, Artie, Jay and Mercedes' brother, Marcus found themselves sipping down water and beers in Sam and Stevie's hotel room. Jay, Marcus and Artie were sharing the adjoining room; Mike and Tina had a room at ground level and Finn had a room for him and Quinn, two floors below.

Marcus—who shared an undeniable facial resemblance to his little sister—was propped up against the front of a couch, caught in a friendly argument with Jay and Mike over who was the better football team: the Saints or the 49ers. From the sounds of things, Jay was making a compelling argument for his team, the Saints but Mike and Marcus were diehard 9ers fans.

Sam had just emerged from his and Stevie's bedroom, clad in a wife beater and DC Comic-printed pajama pants when Artie hailed his attention.

"Hey Sam, where'd you say Finn went again?" wondered the brunette.

The groom lowered the beer bottle from his lips and shrugged, "He didn't say. All he said was he'd be back soon."

"Yeah but," Mike chimed in, "that was like an hour ago."

Again, Sam shrugged, "I dunno dude."

No sooner had Artie asked, was there several knocks on the door. Sam stood up, wandering skeptically to the door. Since there was no peephole, he put his cheek parallel to the door and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Finn! Open up!"

Recognizing his old friend's voice, Sam turned the handle down and swung the door open. He stepped aside to let Finn in but Finn just stood there, wearing an unusually wide grin.

"Uhh…" Sam's brows drove together. He gestured toward the inside of the room and said, "You can come in now dude. Door's open."

"I know, I know!" Finn said excitedly, "But I have a surprise for you."

"Oh God, you didn't bring me strippers did you?" Sam asked with instant dread.

"Hollaaaa!" Artie and Jay called in near-unison from inside the room.

There was a faint smack, followed by Mike saying, "Artie you have a girlfriend!"

"Nope, not anymore—I'm free as a bird man. Would'a made Vegas a _helluva_ lot more fun if she'd dumped me two weeks ago."

Sam was torn between glaring at Finn and ripping his own face off. "Just tell me what the surprise is."

Still bright-eyed and grinning, Finn told him, "I'll show you," and then with one of his leggy strides, he stepped aside.

A man, nearly as tall as the brunette stepped into view. He was of nearly the same build—slightly bulkier than Finn—and was clad in traditional Marine Corps dress blues. His white visor was under one arm while his other arm supported a duffle bag strap. His olive-toned skin only showed a few aging since high school and, due to military customs, he no longer sported a mohawk.

"WHAAT?" exclaimed Artie.

"PUCK!"

"NO WAY!" Mike and Sam said, overlapping one another.

"That's Sergeant Puck to you maggots," sassed Puck with a growing smirk.

Finn re-appeared at his side, still grinning while he explained, "Yeah I picked him up at the airport, fresh off the tarmac."

Sam was the first to hug Puck, and once he was inside, Mike hugged him next. He then went to Artie to hug him while Sam introduced Jay and re-introduced his brother, Stevie.

"So you and Mercedes are finally tying the knot tomorrow," Puck stated as he dropped his duffle and sagged into an empty chair. He jerked a quick nod to Finn and cupped his hands to catch the bottle of Corona.

"Yeah. We wanted you in the bridal party but you told us you weren't gonna be back in the States until July."

Puck downed some beer and then explained, "Yeah that's what I thought but someone fucked up my schedule. I woulda told you guys but it was too late by the time I found out. I was lucky no one comes to Kentucky or I probably wouldn't have even gotten my flight so last minute."

Sam smirked and rolled his eyes. "Well it'll be good to have you there tomorrow. Mercedes will be surprised—that's for sure."

His Marine friend chuckled once and took another swig of beer. "How's work life and all that for you guys? Finn was telling me on the way here how he became a mini Schuester out in Chicago. Even ditched the crazy first wife."

"Hey man," Finn said in a warning tone. "Rachel and I may not be together anymore but…come on dude, she's not crazy."

The silence that fell over the room seemed to be enough of a disagreement.

"Oh yeah?" scoffed Puck. "Has she changed since high school?"

Finn swallowed hard while averting his gaze in a clockwise travel.

"That's what I thought."

Mike spoke up, "Yeah but if you're gonna compare to our high school days, Quinn had her crazy moments too."

"Yeah but think about it; Quinn had her moments, then she learned her lesson and finally wised up and grew the hell up. She _changed_. That's what I did when I signed up for the Marine Corps, and now look at me. I own my military swag. But Rachel?" He drove his hand through the air in a horizontal line to emphasize, "She _hasn't_ changed at all from what I've heard."

No one could really rebut that, nor did they try to. Not even Finn. He had been the closest to her out of all of them, but knew that was the biggest reason they had gotten a divorce.

Puck waved off the discussion though, "Alright now that I've made my point there…Artie, what are you doing these days?"

The bespectacled brunette looked to the Marine. Artie's looks hadn't changed dramatically; still bound to his wheelchair, he was still fairly lean and stuck to his business casual wardrobe. At most, the changes were his glasses with the same shape, but thinner rims, and it didn't seem like he could grow much facial hair but he kept the sparse stubble that_ did_ grow along his jaw and cheeks. He was mid-sip of his beer when Puck asked him about his job and when he lowered the bottle from his lips he told him, "Working for Apple, my man."

"Word?" asked Jay who would have already known, had he been attentive to some of the conversations in Vegas.

"Yep. Graduated from Stanford out in California and got lucky to have an intern position waiting for me after I got my degree. Now I'm living in San Jose, but I go up to San Fran and visit Tina and the Dancing Machine." He jerked a thumb to Mike, who chuckled at the nickname.

"Cool, bro," Puck said. He proceeded to catch up with his friends until he and Stevie eventually got sucked into a conversation about the military. It started sounding a little more like a debate on who was better—the Marines or the Navy—until a heavily buzzed Artie cut in, interrupting all the conversations.

"WEEELL I just wanna say…in case I don't get the chance to, tomorrow…" His head lolled in Sam's direction as he raised a new beer bottle and then lowered it to his level. "Sam, congratulations man. You and Mercedes—the diva supreme! You guys are the shit, yo! And…"

The other guys were quietly snickering because Artie's voice had raised several octaves on his last statement, and then suddenly dropped back to normal by "And".

"…I just think it's great you're marrying each other."

"Amen to _that_!" echoed Jay, and the two tapped beer bottles.

Artie finished by loudly saying, "Have fun on your honeymoon! Make some swirly babies in…um..where are you guys going?"

Sam—who had been trying not to laugh too loudly at his tipsy friend, shook his head while grinning. "Can't tell you dude. Sorry."

Artie's own smile vanished as his brows came together. "Hold up. Why not? It's not like I'm gonna try and join y'all. Artie Abrams don't roll like that. Pun intended." He licked one finger and gave himself a tally in the air.

Puck, Mike and Finn snorted in attempts to stifle their laughs. Stevie, Marcus and Jay stared at Artie as if he'd grown a third eye. Sam slapped a palm to his forehead.

"I wasn't even…no, I just don't want anyone to slip up and tell Mercedes tomorrow."

"So she still doesn't know where you're taking her for the honeymoon?" asked Stevie.

Sam shook his head, "Nope, not until after the wedding. I wasn't gonna tell her until we got to the airport but she made me change my mind about that after she told me she wouldn't know what to pack."

Puck slapped on a devilish smirk and loudly murmured to the others, "Yeah, but if he were smart he would've just told her to bring a toothbrush and a pair of heels,"

"Wow," gaped Stevie, whose face was quickly reddening. Jay, Finn, Artie and Mike all snickered.

"`ey man, come on now. I don't wanna hear about my sister like that," said a disgusted Marcus Jones.

"What?" Puck unabashedly grinned now. "Stevie brought up the honeymoon. What_ else_ are they gonna do?"

Marcus shook his head with a hardly amused smile and got up, "I don't really care but I'm gonna head to bed so I actually wake up in the morning." He looked to Sam, "You should do the same thing, brother or you gonna be catchin' flies at the altar. Night you guys."

He waved on his way to the adjoining room while the others said their goodnights to him. Once the two rooms' conjoining door closed, Puck went back to the sex taunts and interrogation.

"No really bro. Why bother letting her pack anything? In fact, why even _go_ anywhere for your honeymoon? If I were getting married, we wouldn't need to blow a bunch of money just to go somewhere and gave sex the whole time."

"It's called a change of pace," said Mike.

Puck snorted, "Yeah I bet it is."

Ignoring the warmth in his cheeks, Mike corrected himself, "I meant a change of scene! You know, it makes it different than when you're just at home."

"Yeah," agreed Finn. "Going somewhere for your honeymoon's kind of a cool thing. Even if you don't have sex the whole time."

Puck's wicked grin returned as he asked, "Sounds like someone's well runneth dry on their honeymoon."

Artie's head turned dramatically in Finn's direction, "Say whaaat?"

"You and Rachel didn't have sex on your honeymoon?"

"What the actual fuck?"

Finn raised his hands as if it would stop the inquiries.

"How is that even possible?"

"What a fucking waste of a trip."

"No wonder you couldn't take it anymore."

"What the hell is this? 'Get on Finn's Ass' Night? Lay off you guys!" demanded Sam, though in private he'd been a little surprised as well.

"Yeah, this is supposed to be about Sammy Boy, remember?" said Jay, quickly shifting the pendulum of talk back to the blond.

"Yeah," seconded Puck. "So you and Mercedes are gonna go somewhere and play Twister in bed for a week?"

"I saw a Twister game board printed on a bedspread once," noted Mike. "Tina didn't realize what it was and wouldn't let me buy it though. She said it was ugly."

"Sounds like fun," Sam said.

"Ohhh," Puck quickly jumped on his response and leaned toward the blond. "So you and Mercedes like getting' a little freaky-twisted up in bed, huh?" He wagged his brows but leaned away as Sam took a swipe at him.

Stevie promptly rose to his feet, clasping both hands to his ears as he strode away, "I think Marcus had the right idea. Goodnight."

Sam bid his brother goodnight while the other guys laughed. Just from looking around the room though, it was a safe guess that Artie and Jay were going to be the next ones to call it a night. Sam knew he needed to be doing the same, but he had a feeling that once he put his head to a pillow, his eyes were going to stay wide open while his body would beg for slumber. He would be getting married in less than 24 hours; there was no way his body and mind were going to make his night an easy rest.

He was yanked out of his internal thoughts at the sound of a shameless Puck, "Look we all know you got moves _White Chocolate_!"

Mike nearly choked on his beer. Instead it ran down the front of his pajama shirt. "That's what you get," muttered Sam—his cheeks turning red.

"Plus," chimed in Artie, "Mercedes is a _brick house_…mightay, mightay!"

Mike swiftly moved out of Sam's swinging arm; the dancer stopped trying to control his laughs. Sam looked to Finn for a lifesaver but Finn innocently shrugged back at the blond.

The teasing just kept on coming as Puck elbowed his friend, "Hey Mike, where'd you say you saw that bedspread at? I haven't got the bride and groom a gift yet..."

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><p><em><strong>PLEASE leave reviews! What'd you think of this chapter? I wanted to give Sam and the boys a little more attention than they've been getting thus far. Plus I know people were wondering about Puck. I hadn't forgotten about him! His Marine status &amp; Artie's career choice were both planned from the get-go. :) As always, thanks for reading and expect more very soon! The wedding chapter<strong>_s _**are coming next!**_


	15. Sunday Morning

_**Mercedes Charice Jones and Samuel Dwight Evans  
>are proud to celebrate with you,<br>their celebration of matrimony on this Sunday,  
>the twelfth of June, two-thousand and twenty-two,<br>at four o'clock in Lexington, Kentucky.**_

_**Parents of the Bride:**__ Mrs. Viola Charice Jones-Owens & Dr. Jeremy Lamont Owens  
><em>_**Parents of the Groom:**__ Mr. Dwight Anthony Evans & Mrs. Mary Annette Evans  
><em>_**Matron of Honor:**__ Tina Anne Chang Jr.  
><em>_**Best Man:**__ Steven Nicholas Evans  
><em>_**Groomsmen:**__ Michael Chang Jr., Arthur Tyler Abrams, & Finn Christopher Hudson  
><em>_**Bridesmaids:**__ Lucy Quinn Fabray, Santana Carmen Lopez, & Stacey Maryette Evans  
><em>_**Ring Bearer:**__ Michael Chang III  
><em>_**Flower Girl:**__ Elizabeth Grace Anderson_

_**Special thanks, with love, from the bride and groom to Mr. Kurt Hummel-Anderson  
><strong>_

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><p>In order to avoid potential paparazzi encounters as well as the superstition of the bride and groom seeing each other before they're supposed to, Mercedes stayed at the Evans house with: Sam's parents, Stacey, Quinn, Tina, Santana, Brittany Kurt, Blaine, and the children. And just as everyone assumed, the local news meteorologist promised a very warm summer day ahead of them. But regardless of the predicted weather, it had no affect on the bride's previous night of rest. She had been a pleasantly restless bride-to-be throughout. Somehow, she managed to get <em>some<em> sleep. Some time that morning however, she awoke to the whispers of her bridesmaids.

"Kurt said we have to be ready for pictures at 2!"

"Shhh! You're gonna wake her up!"

Somebody giggled while another person said, "So what? That's the point, right?"

Suddenly the room grew quiet. The girls stood at the foot of the bed, all clad in pajamas and matching fuchsia satin robes with their bridal party title embroidered on the back in sapphire blue.

Mercedes cracked her eyes open just as Tina, Quinn, Stacey and Santana broke out into a boisterous chorus of, "Happy Birthday," substituting the word "birthday" for "wedding day". She rolled her eyes shut but smiled and playfully groaned while pulling the covers up over her head.

Santana and Stacey grabbed the other end of the blankets and yanked them off entirely, causing the bride to cuddle into herself. "Oh hell no! You guys know you're _wrong_ for that!" she grinned while throwing a pillow at each of them.

Santana dodged hers while Stacey caught hers and threw it back. "Time to get uuup! We're gonna have breakfast before the hair and makeup people get here."

"Yeah, I called Mike to see if the guys were up. They are, but the guy at the front desk told him that the stalkerazzi got tipped off about them being there," informed Tina.

Mercedes gave a drawn-out, "Greeeat." Her slight upset was briefly forgotten when she suddenly asked, "Hey where's Brittany? And Mikey and Sawyer"

"Brittany's downstairs helping Kurt," answered Santana, who was peeking out of the only window's shutters.

"And Mikey's downstairs with Lizzie and Blaine. Sawyer's with Mrs. Evans. I'm gonna go check on them in a bit, but there's more I have to tell you," Tina said. Quinn gave her a look of warning but Tina ignored it, "Rachel's flight got delayed earlier but she's in Kentucky now and said she'd be here soon…with her date."

"Her _date_? Who?" asked a highly surprised Mercedes.

"Take a wild guess," answered Tina. "She said it was an old friend."

Realization crept across Mercedes' face fast. "Oh Lord," she groaned with a roll of her eyes. She caught the blatantly averse expression that flashed across Quinn's face, telling Mercedes that her blonde bestie was probably thinking exactly what was about to come out of her mouth. "If this turns into junior prom drama all over again, I'm _going_ to kill someone."

No one doubted that, but Quinn chimed in, "Look, don't worry about them, or even the paparazzi. This isn't your day to be upset. We're all older and more mature than we were in high school. Plus Finn and Rachel have moved on from each other for good now." For a moment she rubbed her slight baby bump, but her attention remained slanted to Mercedes. "And forget the paparazzi. If anything, they'll just snag a few pictures of Sam and the boys getting into the limo, but you know Kurt's going to have everything under control here at the house." She sat down next to Mercedes and lightheartedly shook the girl's shoulders. "So get up, get up, get up!"

They smiled at each other while Mercedes sat up in the bed and pulled her nightcap off. In no time her excitement overrode her brief upset and lack of sleep, and pulled her out of bed to brush her teeth and shower. When she returned from the bathroom, she was wrapped up in a white satin robe with "Future Mrs. Evans" emblazoned across the back in glittering fuchsia.

Tina had gone from the room to check on her sons—both of who were being watched by Sam's parents—and Stacey tagged along, but they soon returned with bagels, fruit and juice for everyone. Coming in behind them was an exceptionally ecstatic flower girl, Lizzie Anderson, whose presence alone brought on a new layer of joy to the room.

Not long after breakfast, the nail beautician, make-up artist, hair stylist & one of the three photographers joined the girls to occupy the next couple hours of their time. While Mercedes had her nails redone in fresh French-tipped acrylics, the hair stylist started on Lizzie's braided crown. Eventually all of the girls had a braid incorporated in their hair: Quinn received a braided crown as well, but the rest of her medium-length hair was wound into a sophisticated bun. Santana had two braids hanging on either side of her head with the rest of her free-flowing hair, and Tina's hair was gathered into a single braid that rested in the middle of her back.

None of them had seen Kurt yet. He was far too busy turning the Evans' grove and yard into an intimate, elegant ceremony and reception site. A few times, Mercedes would relay messages to him through her bridesmaids but she did her best not to bother him while he worked and she got ready.

Once their hair and make-up was done, the girls slipped into their dresses—with the exception of Mercedes. All four bridesmaids, including Tina, donned identical cerulean taffeta v-neck dresses with pleated waistlines. The fabric flared slightly at the waist and stopped at the knee—a flattering and weather-friendly selection for all four young women. Being the first one ready, Santana helped Lizzie into her fuchsia spaghetti strap dress. By the time she and the young girl finished, Tina had excused herself to check on Sawyer and Mikey downstairs, and Quinn joined her this time.

As the hair and makeup artists stood in front of Mercedes to look over their work, Lizzie squeezed herself between them to stand in front of the bride. "I'm a princess! Look Aunt 'Cedes!" she announced, stepping forward to perform a perfect pirouette for the bride.

Mercedes smiled adoringly at the young girl and granted her a playful curtsy. "Yes you are, your Hotness. I thought today was _my_ day, but look at you! You're the prettiest princess in all the land."

Lizzie blushed and giggled, "Can I go show Daddy and Papa?"

"Yeah, let's go see if we can find them," she said, reaching for the girl's hand. "Be right back Santana."

Mercedes continued to shower the little girl in compliments the entire way to the stairs, but they only made it past the second step before they were halted by a grey-suited Kurt. He raised a palm to the bride while staring eye level at her.

"Um, where do you think you're going?"

Mercedes brows furrowed, "Downstairs? Lizzie wanted to give you and Blaine a mini fashion show."

"IIII don't think so," he promptly answered. As quick as the switch of a light he looked sweetly to his daughter, "Lizzie you look adorable, sweetie. Why don't you go downstairs and find Daddy and Uncle Sammy?"

Lizzie beamed, "'Kay Papa!" and hopped down each step.

Right away, Kurt turned his attention back to Mercedes. "_You_ on the other hand don't get to see my masterpiece before it's finished. Besides, Sam might see you and you're not even in your dress yet! Go back upstairs and get that photographer to take some more pictures of your make-up artist pretending to blush your cheeks or something."

As her forehead smoothed out again, Mercedes put her hands on her hips, "You _do_ know there's a window with a view of the yard from the room that I'm in, don't you?"

In the blink of an eye, Kurt's naturally superior gaze sharpened, "Mercedes Jones-soon-to-be-Evans, that window better have shutters on them like the rest, and those shutters better be _shut_!" Little did he know, they were, but he looked past the dark-skinned diva and called over her shoulder, "Tina! Get out here and do your Matron of Honor duties please!"

Mercedes tried not to crack a smile as her best friend turned back down the stairs, flustered and muttering to himself. Despite Kurt's misguided accusation, Tina was coming up the stairs cradling her youngest boy at the same time he was marching down them. She momentarily regarded Kurt as though he were insane and then shook her head to revert her attention back to the bride. "Mercedes, don't forget about your gift for Sam!"

"Oh, right!" said Mercedes, who already had forgotten. She and Tina went back to the guest room. The stylists and artists were packing up their belongings and Santana was perched on the bed, snapping photos with her phone. The singer crouched beside her duffle and produced a thin, square black box with a golden lid.

Smiling brightly, Tina asked, "What did you get him?"

"Cufflinks, and a little something else. You'll see it on him later." She handed it to her Matron of Honor who graciously took it.

"I'll be right back. And you better get into your dress—it's 1:30!"

Another wave of excitement washed over Mercedes. "I know, I know! Okay hurry back so you, Quinn and Santana can help me."

* * *

><p>"Mom, you're gonna end up looking like you have allergies in all the pictures," warned Sam.<p>

A teary-eyed Mrs. Evans quietly scoffed, "I am not." She pressed both hands to the sides of her eldest's face, casting a sad smile at him. "I'm going to look like a mother who's proud of her baby."

The groom smiled back at his mother and angled his head when she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

She quickly wiped it away, so not to leave a pale lipstick imprint there. "Where are your brother and your friends?"

"Um…Stevie's around, somewhere—I dunno. And Mike and Artie are out back with Mach 3, Marcus and the guys. Probably checking out the horses but I told 'em if they messed up their tuxes, Mercedes was gonna slaughter 'em."

His mom giggled, "Well I couldn't blame her for that. They're welcome to come riding any time they're in town but I don't think today's the day to pick." Customary to all formal affairs, she took a step back and double checked to be sure that everything on her son was in place. Her hand tamed a feathery tuft of hair, and then moved down to smooth his cerulean tie out. She straightened the pearly white calla lily boutonniere near his right lapel and adjusted the fuchsia pocket square over his heart. Lastly, she took both of his hands. A content sigh left her lips before she pursed them and looked down. "I thank God that I'm here for this day, Samuel." When she looked up at him again, fresh tears were in her eyes.

Sam's face was stern yet sympathetic from her words; he pulled his lips into a soft smile and murmured, "I do too, Mom. And you look really beautiful."

He freed one of his hands and slowly twirled his mom around with the other. Her dress was a lighter shade of blue than his vest or tie; it came with a thin, equally blue, transparent bolero jacket and fit her slender form right to the knee-covering hem. And since Sam's visit in April, her hair had grown to shoulder-length; she seemed to have grown to love wearing hats, however, so most of it was covered by a floppy-brimmed sun hat with a fuchsia bow. Her face and limbs started filling out again, giving her a less ill appearance.

Mrs. Evans giggled softly, "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're not tryin' to steal my lady now, are ya?" asked a deep, soft-spoken voice.

Sam grinned lightly at his dad and wittily replied, "Nope, I'm gonna nab my own today."

His dad chuckled heartily as he entered the living room. Like Kurt, Dwight Evans wore a grey suit, with a blue dress shirt that matched his wife's dress. He had one hand in his pocket while he walked, but when he approached his son his hand came out and held a small, brass pocket watch. Engraved on the back in small cursive was the phrase: _Know how to live the time you are given_.

Sam eyed it in awe before his green hues returned to his father. "That's Grandpa Tony's."

"It _was_," corrected Mr. Evans. "And it was mine. Now it's yours." He took his son's hand and placed the watch in his palm. "I don't know if your mom's already told ya but, we're real proud of ya, Son. Mercedes and you are the real deal and I know you two are gonna keep on makin' each other happy."

Unable to think of anything to say—other than, "Thanks,"—Sam unbuttoned his tan suit jacket and clipped the chain to his cerulean vest. As he slipped the watch into his inner pocket, Sam stepped forward to hug both his parents. "I love you guys," he murmured with a bowed head.

"What? A group hug in the living room and no one invited me?"

Sam raised his head and smirked at his younger brother. "You're welcome to join, Stevie."

The younger Evans son approached wearing an identical outfit to Sam and the other groomsmen, save the calla lily, which was fuchsia instead of white. He cast a sly smirk at his older brother, "No thanks, I really just came to see if there were any Best Man duties I needed to be fulfilling right now."

As Sam let go of his parents, he mock saluted his brother and, in his James Earl Jones voice said, "At ease, Evans."

Stevie's face flattened instantly. He started to say something inappropriate but both of his parents were well within hearing range so he closed his mouth and settled for a hard set glare. Aside from the buzz cut, blue eyes, and marginally leaner lips, he looked eerily similar to Sam at seventeen—a generally more serious Sam, that is.

"Actually, now that you mention it," said Sam. "I do have something I need you to do."

"Forget it," spat Stevie. Sam knew he hadn't meant it though, so he went on.

"I need you to take this upstairs to Mercedes. You and Tina are supposed to exchange our gifts for us since we can't see each other yet." He crossed the room and rifled through his duffle until he found a small, pink gift bag.

Stevie raised his brows as Sam held it out to him. "Is this lingerie? Because if it is, I think you can wait 'til the honeymoon and give it to 'Cedes yourself. She's about to be my sister-in-law ya'know…"

Sam sighed, "It's not—look, will ya just give it to her?"

After catching a glimpse of Sam's reddening cheeks, Stevie took the bag—his gratified smirk returning, "You got it." As he turned to leave, Tina entered the room carrying Sawyer, as well as Sam's present.

The groom perked up but his mother held her hands up to stop her, "Hang on Tina. Let me find one of the photographers." She grabbed her husband's hand, "C'mon, Dwight. Kurt said there's 3 of 'em floating around here."

Tina and Sam watched with amused faces as the elder Evans pair exit the room. When Tina faced Sam again, she asked, "How are you holding up?"

Licking his lips and rubbing his hands, Sam replied, "Nervous actually. But good too. How is she?"

Tina smiled and confidently gave the best answer she could think of, "Never better."

At that, Sam smiled. He couldn't see his bride, but he could trust Tina's response fully.

A light _tap, tap, tap_ping of low heels neared as Mrs. Evans came back—without her husband but with one of the photographers. "Okay!" she exclaimed with a cheerful smile. "Let's see, sweetheart."

Tina stepped aside; as she finally handed the box to Sam, the photographer's camera clicked quietly. Several photos were taken throughout Sam's opening of the box. When he removed the layer of tissue paper a small note sat on top with Mercedes' neat handwriting across the middle. "_I love you Honey! See you at the altar_" with a heart drawn at the end.

His lips spread a little wider.

More clicks from the camera were heard.

And when he lifted note away, his teeth shone. Sitting on a cushion, near the bottom of the box were two triangle-shaped platinum cufflinks. Directly above them was a custom-designed, triangular bolo slide with the letter, "E" etched deep in the center; underneath, a dark tan leather string was coiled. For a brief moment, Sam's mind recalled junior prom—the spark that ignited his and Mercedes' relationship.

Sam looked up, still grinning. He touched his hand to the cerulean fabric around his throat and made one request to his mother. "Can you help me get this tie off, Mom?" His eyes went back to the box as he murmured, "I have something else to wear instead."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More on the wedding is coming soon! <strong>_


	16. Keeps Getting Better

_**June 12, 2022**_ (continued)

Stevie took his time delivering Mercedes' gift. Tina asked him to take Sawyer to Mike while she rounded up Quinn and Santana to go help Mercedes into her dress. With the bag and the baby cradled awkwardly his hands, Stevie wandered out back. He didn't take much time to admire the spectacle the backyard had become, but he did think it looked nice—different, if nothing else.

As he walked towards the corral where the other men were gathered, Sawyer woke up and sleepily blinked his tiny brown eyes up at the sailor. Stevie's brows arched, trying to gauge whether or not the chubby babe was going to burst into tears. Thankfully Stevie made it to Mike without having to fearfully deal with a crying baby. His talents with infants were non-existent, to say the least.

When the Navy sailor thought enough time had passed, he went back into the house to find his sister. To his fortune, Stacey had come through the front doors just as he passed the staircase.

"Stace, go upstairs and see if 'Cedes is decent."

His bubbly sister stopped mid-stride and raised her brows. "Ooookay, but why?"

Visibly uncomfortable, Stevie blushed hard, "I'm supposed to give this bag to her for Sam but…Tina and the others went up there a while ago and I dunno if it's safe…"

Grinning again, Stacey slowly nodded, "Ohhh. Geeze Stevie, you act like you've never seen a girl before!"

"That's not it!" he quickly defended and then muttered, "I just don't wanna walk in on something I shouldn't see."

Stacey rolled her eyes as if possibly walking in on your sister-in-law getting dressed was natural. "Alright ya baby, wait here. _I'll_ go look."

Puckering his lips chagrinned, Stevie stood at the bottom of the staircase, holding the little pink bag with both hands while Stacey dashed up the curved staircase. The bag felt incredibly light—almost empty. _Underwear's practically weightless_, he thought. His eyes grew wide with horror. _Oh God, he lied_!

Moments later, Stacey's quick steps came trotting back down, bringing him out of his internal thoughts. "You can go up there, Stevie! She looks _sooo _good! Sammy's gonna die when he sees her!"

"Let's hope not," replied Stevie. When he started up the stairs, Stacey lightly pushed his back to give him some encouragement. Although he didn't say it aloud, delivering the gift to Mercedes was a big deal to him. He missed all of the things a Best Man might normally do for a groom—planning and attending the bachelor party (even though he was only 19), going to the tux fittings, and whatever else Sam might need help with. And while he was grateful to be at the wedding, part of him felt like Sam and Mercedes felt obligated to plan their big day around his limited time at home, and that clouded him with some guilt. So today, he wanted to do everything right—even if that meant possibly delivering lingerie to his future sister-in-law.

Before reaching the guest room door, he heard the girls giggling and chattering away over some music. He knocked three times, to which Santana asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me. Sam sent me with a gift for the bride."

He quietly chuckled once when he heard Mercedes urge, "Quick, let him in! Pause the music!"

The door cracked open and once Santana confirmed that Stevie was alone, she opened it wider. "Come in, Little T," she said with a cordial smile.

Oblivious as to why Santana called him 'Little T', Stevie stepped warily through the threshold but didn't make more than two steps. His lips curled into a sincere smile at the sight of his future sister-in-law.

Mercedes stood in front of the bed with her hands clenched anxiously at her side. Her dress was top-to-bottom ivory: a strapless gown, hosting a sweetheart neckline with glittering crystals and vertical lace ruching along the bust that tastefully flaunted her voluptuous chest. The bodice of the dress was smooth and form-fitting—complimenting her wide hour glass shape beautifully. It hugged her form until it reached the middle of her thighs, where the gown fanned smoothly to the floor. The same glittery lace pleated at the bust of the garment, also lined the three foot train. A photographer was snapping photos of Quinn pinning the long waterfall veil—also lined with lace—underneath Mercedes' hairdo. Like the bridesmaids, her hair sported braids; the stylist had given her weave an unusually long, thick extension, and promptly gathered it all in a high ponytail. From there, the ponytail was separated into several braids; the braids were then twisted and clustered into miniature black and brown-highlighted buns, forming one large, neat hive on the back of Mercedes' head.

"You're gonna knock my brother off his feet when he sees you, Mercedes."

The bride put her hands on her hips, grinning proudly, "Let's hope so. You're looking pretty sharp yourself, Stevie."

"Thanks," he said with a familiar lop-sided smile. "Sam sent me up here to give this to you." He handed her the pink bag and then stepped back to watch while she reached inside.

Mercedes picked past the bunches of tissue paper and found a long silver chain-linked anklet with an alternating pattern of pink tourmaline and sapphire gems glinting all around. Her friends marveled right along with her as she gingerly placed the jewelry in her palm.

"Here," said Quinn with her hand out. "I'll put it on you."

As she knelt back down to place the anklet on her friend, Mercedes' waved eagerly to Stevie in a come-hither manner. She was beaming a wide and obviously excited smile as the young sailor approached her; as soon as he was close enough, Mercedes pulled him in for a big hug, loving hug.

"Thank you so much Stevie."

"Of course, 'Cedes," he murmured back, smiling softly.

"You're the best little brother I could ask for." And after a quick, glossy peck on his cheek, she told him, "And that's for Sam."

Stevie leaned back from her embrace and looked her skeptically in the eye, "You know I'm not gonna pass that on to him."

She threw her head back, giggling, "Yes I know. I would've paid to see _that_!"

As she wiped the gloss and lipstick from her brother-in-law's cheek, her mother, Viola, and stepfather appeared at the open door. Her mother was clad in a matronly red-violet two-piece dress and an extravagant matching hat. She had her arm looped around the cinnamon brown sleeve of her husband—the burly, dark-skinned dentist, Dr. Jeremy Owens. Ever since Mercedes was seven, he had been more of a father to her and Marcus than their biological one; and both Jones kids treated and addressed him as such. He maintained a close relationship with their mother, and finally proposed to her, the year before Mercedes moved to California.

Viola gasped to withhold tears at the sight of her only daughter. With both hands, she blew a kiss at Mercedes while entering the room, and then wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. "My baby…You look _so_ gorgeous!" She happily cried.

The deep baritone of her smiling stepfather overcame all others, "You really do, Babygirl."

As he stepped into the room, Stevie, Tina, Santana and Quinn edged toward the door. "We'll go get the bouquets," Tina quietly announced before the group left the room.

"Your mother has one of those 'something' gifts for you," said Dr. Owens who gestured to his wife.

"Oh, that's right," jumped Viola as she reached inside her purse. "You don't have all four 'somethings' already, do you?"

"I don't have something old but," Mercedes gestured to each item as she spoke, "I have something new, from Sam." She lifted the skirt of her gown to reveal her bejeweled anklet and then let go of the gown to touch her veil, "Something borrowed—it's Tina's." Last but not least, her right hand lightly patted the area above her knee, indicating her garter, "And something blue."

Her dad pumped his hands down and nervously chuckled, "Well we don't need to see that one."

Smiling, Mercedes shook her head at him but her attention soon returned to her mother whose hand was outstretched to her. Sitting in her mom's hand was a folded beige handkerchief with lace fringe and a pale pink heart stitched into the exposed corner.

"Something old," said Viola. "It was your Great-Grandma Vi's. I figured you could keep it with you while you held your bouquet."

After accepting the handkerchief, Mercedes hugged her mother again—tighter than before—and whispered, "Thanks, Mom." Pulling away to look at her mom's face, she suddenly asked, "Where's Marcus?"

Her dad answered, "Last I saw, he was out back with the rest of the boys. Did you wanna see him?"

"In a little bit." One more inquiry soon popped in Mercedes' mind as she abruptly recalled the previous weekend. She cast a wary gaze to her mom as the question left her mouth. "Did Aunt Cassie come?"

Her mother broached her with a soft look of warning, "Yes, Mercedes. She and your Aunt Mel came with your cousins." She felt her daughter tense, and right away Viola squeezed the bride's arms. "Don't worry, Mercedes. I had a long talk with Cassandra—"

"For the hundredth time," Dr. Owens mumbled under his breath.

"—and she's been thoroughly warned that if she says one more despicable thing to or about you, Sam or the Evans family, that I'd be removing her from the celebration myself. I know you'd wanna do it, but this is your day, Baby. And I wouldn't want you to ruin your pretty self over her."

Mercedes' brows both raised high, but she couldn't help chuckling at her mother's sugary-sweet promising smile. The singer hugged and thanked her mom again, and then she moved to hug her dad.

The photographer snapped a few photos and then let the three enjoy a loving moment until Kurt arrived at the guest room door. In his hurry to keep things on schedule, he speedily said, "Oh good, you're all ready to go." But the moment the words left his mouth, he physically and verbally stopped himself for the first time that day. Feeling a bit modest for a moment, Kurt lowered his gaze to the floor as he entered the room. When he looked back to Mercedes, he was smiling genuinely and speaking calmly. "You look…"

"Hot? Fabulous?" Mercedes jokingly suggested with her hands propped on her hips.

"…Breath-taking, Mercedes. Truly." With a growing smile, Kurt shook his head at her and then took both her hands in his. He let out a relieving sigh and then added, "You've come a long way from rainbow zebra hoodies, let me tell you."

The bride coughed a laugh at that, "Not _that _long a way. Have you seen my luggage set before?" She grinned and then finished by saying, "Thanks Kurt. For everything; Sam and I really couldn't have done this without you."

Kurt gave her a long-lasting hug, the longest one she's received thus far today, and when he pulled away he re-claimed Mercedes' hands, "It has been an honor and such a treat, planning yours and Sam's wedding. I honestly can't think of two more deserving people for a day like this—even if it is hotter than a jalapeno's armpit today."

Right away, Mercedes' face contorted. Kurt's face froze.

"…Did that just come out of my mouth?"

The singer nodded, still fairly surprised herself yet trying hard not to laugh at him.

"Oh god do I need to get back to New York," he sighed, placing a hand to his shaking head. "Next thing you know, I'm gonna be chewing on wheat stalks and hooting notes out of a moonshine jug."

Still holding Mercedes hand, Kurt took a few seconds to reflect on at his own words before he finally said, "Okay come on! We need to get you downstairs for photos with your bridal party, and _then_ with Sam and the groomsmen and all that fun stuff."

Kurt, Dr. Owens and Viola assisted Mercedes down the stairs. Viola guided her from the front and Dr. Owens held her hand while Kurt tended to her train. Once they triumphed over the staircase, Kurt went to get Lizzie and the bridesmaids while the photographer from the guest room escorted Mercedes to the sun-baked porch.

In between fanning themselves, they took a series of photos together and individually; the flower girl and each bridesmaid took one genuine and one silly photo with the bride. Eventually the photos taken were just of Mercedes. When she finished, she looked to her bridesmaids and asked, "Where's Sam at anyway?"

Quinn answered, "They're in the back taking pictures with another photographer."

For a moment, Mercedes pouted. She was dying to see Sam, and was particularly interested in seeing her brother in a tuxedo.

After utilizing the beautiful home front and its serene landscape, the bridesmaids were instructed to wait on the driveway. The photographer then turned to Mercedes and told her, "It's time for Mr. Evans to come here so he can see you." She then grabbed Mercedes' hand and walked her onto the wrap-around porch and to the side of the house—out of sight from the others.

* * *

><p>Sam, Little Mikey and the groomsmen finished their series of photos in the warm backyard near the horse corral. The photographer that was with them then ushered the six inside the house. Guests were slowly beginning to arrive and the ceremony was set to start in less than an hour.<p>

Sam and the boys walked through the large house and were met by the girls when they stepped out to the front porch. Sam had been instructed to stay there while the groomsmen and ring bearer were asked to join the girls. Mike and Finn carried Artie and his wheelchair down the steps to the stone-lain driveway where Quinn, Stacey, and Lizzie stood. The three girls, and the men began watching a small train of cars and limos appear on the distant road, and speculated who some of the other wedding guests were going to be. Of course most of them hoped—given Sam and Mercedes' careers—that they would meet a celebrity or two today.

Tina and Santana on the other hand went to talk to Sam. Tina gasped happily during her quick approach to the groom while pointing to his collar. "So _that's_ what Mercedes had in there with the cufflinks? That's _so_ sweet!"

Sam smirked, glancing down at the bolo slide. "Yeah. I love it—it's great."

"Alright enough flapping your jaw, Trouty," ordered Santana while making circles with one finger. "Turn around so Mercedes can come out of hiding already."

The groom's lips puckered in an attempt to fight a smile as he turned his back to his siblings and friends. From his peripheral vision, he saw his parents and future in-laws appear at the front doors with a sleeping Sawyer cradled in Mrs. Evans' arms. They were all watching with different-sized smiles on their faces; one of the photographers snapped a candid shot of the proud parents.

"Are you ready, Mr. Evans?" asked another photographer.

With one nod, Sam held his hands in front of him—one hand cupped over the opposing limb's wrist. He glanced at all four parents and let himself smile with them. Shortly after, he shut his eyes and simply listened as the soft yet solid steps of Mercedes' heels sounded against the porch wood. Along with the syncopated steps, he heard the light rustling of the fabric her dress. A short distance away, he the footsteps stopped and for a second, he purposely bit the inside of his cheek right after another photo was taken of him. He could feel his heart hammering blissfully inside his chest.

"Okay Mr. Evans…turn around."

With one deep breath in and out, Sam opened his eyes again and slowly turned on his heels. His anxious green eyes instantly stilled at the sight of his future wife. He broke the hold on his wrist so his hands could hang at his sides at the same time that his lop-sided smile returned; the rise of his cheeks brought tiny crinkles to the corners of his eyes. For the first time that day, he didn't hear the clicking of the cameras and he didn't see anyone but _her_. His awe had less to do with her dress and more to do with the fact that Mercedes was _glowing_. Sure, he'd heard people compliment others, saying that they look radiant but it was obviously the kind of sentiment you reserved for moments like this; for someone who meant as much to him as Mercedes did. She was dazzling him with her smile while gazing right back in his eyes.

Sam gave one hard tug on the end of his tan suit jacket and then pantomimed adjusting his bolo tie while clearing his throat, making Mercedes giggle at him. He grinned back and then softly said, "Look at you."

He took the steps necessary to close the space between them and spread his arms to hug her.

Mercedes placed her bouquet in one hand so that she could return the gesture around his neck. "You look so handsome, Sam."

"I can't wait to marry you," he whispered back for only her to hear. When he pulled away from her, she was blushing deeper than the minerals on her cheeks.

The photographers took a few more candid photos of the two and then hurried them inside along with the rest of the bridal party. One of the three explained, "Mr. Hummel-Anderson said your guests aren't supposed to see you yet, and more have arrived."

The bridal party followed the photographers back into the house, just as the queue of cars and limos reached the driveway. With a good half-hour to spare, the photographers played around with different arrangements for more photos of the group at the foot of the staircase.

Ten minutes 'til 4pm approached in no time.

"Okay! Is everyone ready?" asked a lively Kurt, who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Mercedes jumped slightly and looked to her friend as she quickly recovered. "I think we are."

"I know we are," amended Sam, causing his bride to smile again.

"Fantastic. Now, I don't want either of you to panic," Kurt said, "but we had to make one last minute change for the officiator of the ceremony."

"What?" balked Mercedes.

"What happened?" Sam asked at the same time.

Kurt put his hands up to silence them both, "Mercedes, the minister of your church back in Lima came down with something—I don't remember what, but he's not coming. It doesn't matter though." He assured while waving off whatever forgotten reason was given to him earlier.

"Why not?" Mercedes asked sharply—the panic already rising in her voice.

"Because I found someone better…well, you might think he's better at least. But he's here and can preside over your marriage."

The bride and groom both looked completely puzzled as Kurt looked to the open doors behind them and said, "Hey, Pastor Hart—get in here and introduce yourself to the happy couple!"

Stepping through the front doors was the tranquil-minded, angel-faced Joe Hart. Not much about him had changed since Mercedes and Sam last saw him. He was still tall, wiry and sporting subtly shorter dreads. Over the years however, he seemed to have abandoned his nose ring and grown fond of facial hair, giving him even more of a Jesus-like appearance.

Sam grinned as Mercedes met Joe halfway with a hug. "Oh my God, Joe!"

Joe chuckled and hugged her back, "Mercedes! Sam—man, it's so good to see you guys again! And congratulations by the way!"

After letting go of the bride, Joe went over to shake Sam's hand, which morphed into a one-armed hug.

"Aaaaalright, I hate to cut the reunion short," Kurt said with a very professional tone, "but there will be_ plenty_ of time for this at the reception. Time is of the essence." He tapped the face of his watch as though to emphasize his point and then briskly walked to Joe's side to seize his arm. "Come on Joe, I need to walk you through your part in the procession, _fast_."

"Um…righteous," Joe innocently fumbled as he was carted away. He waved back at Sam and Mercedes, "See you both soon, I guess!"

Mercedes waved to Joe while Sam shook an amused face at Kurt; he was nothing, if not a punctual planner.

With their attention returning to their approaching nuptials, Sam and Mercedes both began feeling anxious yet euphoric. Everything was going smoothly; their most important family and friends were all there and had arrived safely, and very soon they would be a Mr. and Mrs.

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! I apologize for any spellinggrammar/punctuation errors. The ceremony is coming VERY soon, of course!**_


	17. Always & Forever

_**June 12, 2022 **_(continued)

Once the last of the guests settled in their seats, Kurt cued the music and then nodded to Sam and Joe. The groom and the pastor walked up to the altar at a casual pace, the moment that Heatwave's "Always & Forever" came through the surrounding speakers. The distance from the back porch to the altar was a bit of a walk, but Kurt waited for them to reach the back row of guest chairs before he cued Stacey and Finn to go. The next to go were Santana and Artie; grateful for the ramp there, Artie easily kept pace beside Santana. He had a moment of being star-struck when he spotted Danny Elfman amongst the wedding attendees. The only other high-profile celebrities who had come were fellow R&B singer Alicia Keys and her husband, Swizz Beats. The singer had mentored Mercedes greatly on her most recent album, and since then, she had been like a distant elder sister in her career.

Quinn and Mike walked arm-in-arm down the aisle next. Both of them spotted Alicia and clenched the other's arms, tighter than necessary, but came back down to Earth when Mike nearly tripped. After they made it past the back row of chairs, Stevie offered a bent arm to Tina and she looped her arm through so they could follow after the others.

While clutching a small bottle in his hand, Kurt bent down to the level of his freckle-nosed daughter and quietly told her and Little Mikey, "Okay you guys, just like we practiced."

Both children nodded, then stepped out onto the porch, and then to the white aisle runner. As expected, all of the guests "aww"ed at the adorable duo. Blaine bowed his head bashfully when Lizzie started blowing kisses at her audience. She caught her Uncle Sammy's mindful eye however and quickly proceeded to toss tulip petals down from her basket.

"There's _no_ denying she's yours," an amused Mercedes murmured to her best friend.

"And I am one prouuud Papa." He beamed a closed-lipped smile and then asked, "Ready?"

Mercedes nodded anxiously. Revealing the bottle in his hand, Kurt gave the diva one full spritz of her favorite perfume. "You didn't think I'd forget, did you?" He smiled again and quickly adjusted a slight twist in one of her earrings. "Alright. Just remember, take deep breaths and look at Sam if you get nervous. Oh, and while you're holding your bouquet, keep your thumb to your belly button."

She rolled her eyes, smiling at his last reminder but instinctively gazed down at her large bouquet—purple calla lilies, and yellow and orange tulips all bound by a thick cerulean ribbon. Once she was certain she could, Mercedes stepped out onto the porch as the others did. She was faintly aware of the light adjustments being made to her train, but she kept her slow stride. For a moment, Mercedes looked up at the lemon trees she was approaching. It was the first time she was getting to see the entire yard since Kurt kept her from seeing it all day. The trees she loved had created a natural aisle of their own, and they now had large, heavy white fabric draped from tree-to-tree, further emphasizing the aisle for the ceremony. The wooden guest chairs she was slowly approaching were all as white as the runner she walked on. It led right to the wide arc that Sam, Joe and the bridal party now stood under. Parts of the arc were exposed to show that it too was white, but the vast majority of it had been covered from end-to-end in tulips, calla lilies, baby's breath and wild flowers of every color.

Exquisite as it all was, Mercedes she couldn't focus on them for very long. All of the guests had risen to their feet in near-unison with their eyes on her. She didn't think being watched would make her feel nervous; she'd performed in front of crowds of all sizes, dozens of times. She had gotten through accepting her Grammy in once piece. So why did her knees suddenly start feeling like JELL-O? Why was her heart beating in her ears? Before she could even think to start hyperventilating, Kurt's reminders echoed in her mind and she instantly locked gazes with Sam.

Mercedes had to hand it to Kurt—he knew just the remedy to keep her calm. And surely enough, she made it to the end of the aisle in one poised piece. The music faded to silence as she slipped her bouquet in her left hand and offered her right out to Sam.

He happily accepted his love's hand and took a deep breath, inhaling the sugary sweet vanilla perfume emanating from her. His lips formed a small "o" as he audibly released the breath, in hopes of calming his own nerves.

He felt his hand get gently squeezed. "Don't pass out on me, Evans," Mercedes quietly murmured with a sassy smirk.

As their guests sat back down, the youthful dreadlocked pastor looked out at the guests and started. "Dearly beloved, we're gathered here on this righteous June day to witness the union of Samuel Dwight Evans and Mercedes Charice Jones. If anyone objects to this matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

As expected, silence fell over the grassy grove.

"Before Sam and Mercedes exchange rings and vows, the couple has written some of their own words to each other." With that, the pastor looked to Sam to start. The groom pulled a folded index card from his jacket's inner pocket but he hardly referred to it while he spoke.

"Mercedes when I moved to Lima…what I learned right away about you was the same thing everyone else knew and now knows—that you have a voice like an angel. But I didn't really get to know you that well until prom rolled around." He momentarily pursed his lips into a crooked smile before going on. "And I know you already know this but that was one of the best nights of my life. Being around you made me feel real happiness, and that I was genuinely cared about. You were really understanding about all I was going through, and…you were just full of love and confidence. You always have been, and I will always cherish that about you. I know back then, I was pretty quiet and awkward, and sometimes I still am but… over the years that we've been together, I've felt like your confidence in life gave me a stronger sense of security for myself and the events that occur my life. I'll always be thankful to you for that and love that and a lot more about you. I promise to always be my best for you… and to do whatever I can to keep that contagious smile on your face. And I promise I will always, _always_ fight for you, in all the ways I know how."

At the end, he whispered out of the side of his mouth for only Mercedes to hear, "I love you, Benz."

Mercedes blushed with a smile that couldn't be subdued. Folded around her bouquet with her handkerchief, she had a slip of paper with her own vows written on it. She tried to force her hands to stop trembling but was unsuccessful. With a rigid grip on the slip of paper, Mercedes said, "Sam, you've been more to me than I could have ever imagined. Where I've fallen short of confidence, you've always been there to lift me back up and support me. You're the sweetest man I have ever known and the only man I've ever loved." Her long, dark lashes were wet when she glanced down at the paper she no longer could read. Folding it back up, she took Sam's hand again and brought her eyes back up to him. "We've been through a lot together…and I'm sure there's more ahead for us. But no matter what's ahead, I promise I will always be right here to meet you with all the kindness… honesty… strength, faith, hope and love that I have."

Both were casting misty-eyed gazes to one another when Joe spoke again. "If I could now have the rings?"

Tina handed Sam's wedding band over while simultaneously taking hold of Mercedes' bouquet; Stevie pulled Mercedes' band out of his inner jacket pocket and gave it to Joe as well. The pastor then held the rings out for Sam and Mercedes to take.

"Do you, Samuel Dwight Evans take Mercedes Charice Jones to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold; to love, honor and cherish—in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

With his eyes fixated on Mercedes' rich brown hues, he positively replied, "I do." His gaze only left hers long enough to slip the thin, gold band above her engagement ring.

"And do you, Mercedes Charice Jones take Samuel Dwight Evans to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold; to love, honor and cherish—in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

Mercedes beamed another untamable smile to Sam, "Yes I do." She slipped the platinum band onto Sam's left ring finger and then took hold of both his hands.

"By the power vested in me and the state of Kentucky, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

He looked from Mercedes to Sam, smiled and then said, "Well…you know what to do!"

Sam grinned; his hands lowered to Mercedes hips as her hands came up around his neck for their first kiss as husband and wife. Multiple whoops, cheers and claps erupted around them as Sam bowed into her, and then rebounded to briefly lift her off her feet. When their lips finally parted from each other, the two turned to their guests in time to see their dads present a long, glamorously-decorated broom. Tina handed Mercedes her bouquet, and the bride and groom walked hand-in-hand up to the length of the broomstick.

"Ladies and gentleman!" called Joe. "I'm so proud to present for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Sam and Mercedes Evans!"

Louder claps and cheers filled the space as Sam and Mercedes bent their knees and launched themselves over the broom. Right away, the surrounding speakers played the timeless opening guitar riff to Prince's "Kiss". The newlyweds danced their way down the aisle with the bridal party following suit. Their guests watched with amused expressions—particularly when they were treated to a little of the bride and groom's synchronized and non-choreographed body roll. When they reached the end of the aisle, Sam surprised Mercedes by sweeping her back into his arms for a dip kiss.

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><p><em><strong>What did you think? Did I (or rather, did Kurt) do our future Samcedes' wedding justice? Please leave reviews! I did the best I could and I'd love to know your thoughts! Posting the reception soon!<strong>_


	18. Love On Top

_**June 12, 2022**_ (continued)

During the cocktail hour, Sam, Mercedes and their bridal party lingered near the back porch, talking to people and getting more photos taken. Eventually Tina stole Mercedes away to remove the veil and expertly bustle her gown for the reception. Meanwhile, Kurt and his party-planning team made their final touches on the reception area. On the other side of the pasture, opposite the horses' barn, Kurt and his team converted the grassy space into a setup that closely resembled an outdoor nightclub. Under the protection of large, white wedding tents, all of the square guest tables were arranged in a horseshoe with fuchsia table cloths, and cerulean and white dinnerware and candles. The centerpieces alternated in height from table to table; some had tall vases full of clear, glittering marbles at the base and tulips, calla lilies and wildflowers pluming out of the top. Other vases sat closer to the table with similar floral arrangements.

The long, rectangular head table was situated at the plunge of the horseshoe and donned a pearl cloth with the themed blue and pink décor. In the center of the table formation, a large dance floor panel was laid under the open sky, and ahead of that was a stage where musical instruments, as well as a DJ were set up.

Off to the side, a short distance from the horseshoe scene was a long buffet table where a hot catered dinner was being prepared. At the end of the table stood and a white, triple square-tiered strawberry champagne cake with one large purple lily staggered on each tier. On the other side of the reception area were two booths. One was a photo booth—Mercedes and Sam decided to have one rented for their guests as party favors. The second was a video booth where guests were encouraged to visit throughout the night and record a video message for the happy couple. All of the messages would be burned onto a DVD for Sam and Mercedes to watch after they returned from their honeymoon.

By the time everyone sat down for bridal party introductions and dinner, the sun had set over the open yard. Kurt had been well-prepared for the coming night; suspended at every corner of the tents were large, dim, spherical lights. Early in the planning stages, Sam and Mercedes had told him about the natural brightness the stars would provide after sundown, and Kurt didn't want to rob them of that on the dance floor.

Following dinner, the attention went to the head table as the bridal party started on their speeches. Finn, Artie, Mike, Santana & Quinn passed the microphone back and forth to one another. Stacey went next, but ended her speech early due to the tears that overwhelmed her. Tina gave her a tissue and Mercedes offered her a sympathetic gaze while Stevie stood and took the microphone. Not being one for public speaking, he kept his speech intentionally brief and said, "Mercedes has been like a big sister to me and Stace. And it doesn't take much for anyone to figure out why she and my brother are where they're at today. It'd be kinda dumb to say 'welcome to the family' because you've been part of this family for a long time. So…thanks for making my bro happy. Love you both."

He handed the microphone to Tina while the guests clapped for his sentiments. The young Asian woman accepted it with a never-ending smile and scanned her gaze around the horseshoe. "I'm sure I speak for a lot of people here when I say I'm really honored to have friends like Mercedes and Sam. For those who don't know, we—along with most of the bridal party, all met in Glee club back in high school and have been close friends ever since. I could be here all night sharing stories about the things we've all been through together, but I really just want to say thank you to Sam and Mercedes for being amazing—as individuals and as a couple. I love you both to pieces; Mike, Little Mikey, Sawyer and I are always here for you two. Congratulations."

Everyone clapped, but the applause settled down as Tina said, "Before I hand the mic off to Sam and Mercedes, there's one more person who—in all honesty probably should have been in this spot instead of me. He was busy putting this whole day together, but if Sam and Mercedes are okay with it, I'd like to pass the mic to Kurt."

Kurt blanched as the guests clapped and cheered for him. Everyone at the head table, including Sam and Mercedes encouraged him to come forward, and so he did. He took hold of the microphone, smiling and blushing even though he secretly enjoyed the attention. "Well…hello everyone—I hope you're enjoying the evening so far." He looked to Sam and Mercedes and then back to the guests with his naturally rushed speaking pace, "Gosh, I wasn't planning to make a speech but um…here goes nothing." He laughed nervously and others faintly echoed it. "I don't know how many of you here know this, but back in our sophomore year, Mercedes—"

Mercedes froze while balking internally. He wasn't going to announce her brief crush on him on her wedding day, was he? _Kurt, don't you dare _she thought fiercely.

"…Was the first person I came out to. I hadn't even told my dad yet because I was afraid. But she was someone at school who always made me feel like I could trust her and so I told her. And her response to me was that I shouldn't be afraid to be who I am. It wasn't until she said that to me, that I even realized I was being fearful about a huge part of myself." He looked to Mercedes and winked at her. "Now I can honestly say—especially after knowing her for almost half my life that she practices what she preaches. I don't think I've ever known her to be afraid of who she is. And for the past 10 years she's been lucky enough to have someone by her side that's loved and appreciated that…and tons more about her." He raised his champagne glass toward the newlyweds and finished with, "So here's to you Mercedes, and to Sam. I truly wish you both the best."

Mercedes had one hand pressed adoringly to her chest as Kurt passed the microphone to Sam and bent down to hug his oldest friend. When he pulled away, she seized his arm and told him, "Get a chair and come sit up here."

Kurt smiled and shrugged, "If you insist."

"Don't I always?"

They wiggled their fingertips together and ended by stroking their bangs before Kurt sped away to find a spare chair. As he did so, Sam, Mike, Artie and Stevie had taken the stage and sat down on a set of vacant stools. The groom clipped the mic to a stand in front of him and slipped a glossy brown acoustic guitar into his lap. Sam looked to his brother, who was adjusting his own guitar, and then looked back to the wedding guests. "Hey everyone. First of all I just wanna say thanks for coming and being here to celebrate with Mercedes and me. Now I know Mercedes and I already said a lot of what we felt during the ceremony, but…music is what brought the two of us together. Glee club introduced us, but within the club we were encouraged to sing out our feelings. So Mercedes and I decided to sing a song to one another tonight. We didn't tell each other what were going to sing, but here's my song."

When Sam received a 'ready' nod from his brother, the groom quietly counted off and together they began strumming a soft, moderate tempo. Along with the first few notes, Sam's lips brushed against the grille of the mic as he softly sang—with backup vocals from his groomsmen—McFly's "All About You". They harmonized the call and response for the opening of the song, and then Sam took the lead on the verse.

"_Yesterday you asked me something I thought you knew, so I told you with a smile, 'It's all about you.' Then you whispered in my ear and you told me too. Said, 'You make my life worthwhile—it's all about you.' And I would answer all your wishes if you asked me to, but if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'll do. So hold me close and say three words like you used to do. Dancin' on the kitchen tiles—it's all about you, yeah_…"

He and Stevie played around with their own guitar duet for the vocal break, and when the lyrics came back in, Sam and Artie harmonized into their microphones. "_And I would answer all your wishes, if you asked me to, but if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'll do, so! Hold me close and say three words like you used to do. Dancin' on the kitchen tiles—yes, you make my life worthwhile, so I told you with a smile…_"

There was a short pause before Sam vocally led all the men back to the song's intro—which was also the end. "_It's all about you…_"

When he and Stevie strummed the final notes, Mercedes and their guests broke into applause. Most of them had never heard the song before so they assumed he'd written it for her, but Mercedes knew better. Still, it hadn't prevented her from tearing up. She and her bridesmaids stood up from the head table and wandered to the stage as Sam and the men returned to sit down.

"Damnit, Evans you weren't supposed to make me cry before I sang," she sniffled into the mic before softly giggling at her own sentiment. Their family and friends chuckled and smiled as Mercedes stared up at the stars and dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. "Well, alright my performance might be a little nasally now but I'm ready." When she lowered her gaze again, she turned to make sure Tina, Quinn and Santana were ready. She beamed an affectionate grin at Sam while the DJ cued the upbeat music. Along with the beat, Mercedes hummed some scat into the mic and as she began on the lyrics, their guests started clapping along.

"_Honey, honey, I can see the stars all the way from here. Can't you see the glow on the window pane? I can feel the sun whenever you're near. Every time you touch me, I just melt away. Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear. But I know, nothing's perfect but it's worth it after fighting through my tears. And finally I put you first_."

Whether anyone noticed the slight alteration to the lyrics didn't matter to her—she felt they were more fitting anyway. As she swayed in her dress, she belted into the microphone while pointing and smiling to Sam, "_Baby it's you—you're the one I love, you're the one I need. You're the only one I see. Come on baby, it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one I can always call. When I need you make everything stop. Finally you put my love on top!_"

With support from her bridesmaids, Mercedes finished her cover of "Love On Top" to Sam. If there had been anything nasally about her singing, no one had noticed it. But from the moment lyrics first left her mouth, she didn't concern herself with how she sang. The entire time, she watched Sam smiling, clapping and bobbing his head; it was nothing but pure bliss on his face, and she felt the same way, just from watching him.

While everyone applauded for Mercedes' performance, she left the stage and came down to the dance floor. Blaine, their MC for the night, grabbed the microphone and said, "Beautiful song selections Sam and Mercedes. Alright if we could have Dr. Jeremy Owens to the stage for the father-daughter dance."

The brown-suited man heaved himself out of his chair and made slow but great strides onto the dance floor. He and Mercedes danced to Whitney Houston's "I Look To You". After their dance, Blaine called Sam and Mary Evans to the floor. Sam picked the lighthearted yet equally meaningful, "Angel" by Randy Travis for him and his mom to dance to. From there, Sam and Mercedes shared the floor for their first dance. Alicia Keys, along with some melodic backing from her husband, serenaded the couple with her timeless hit, "No One".

A blinding amount of flashes went off around the newlyweds but neither paid much attention. For the most part, their heads were lowered to one another as they swayed close. A few times, their heads rose to gaze adoringly to each other; at one point, Sam slowly twirled Mercedes out and then beckoned her back into his arms with a small tug of her hand. Toward the end of their first dance, their guests began to fill the reception space with clinking taps against their glasses. Sam and Mercedes mused at each other and happily obliged to the traditional request. Mercedes leaned into Sam with her lips lightly puckered. Sam bent and tilted his head to meet her luscious pair with a tender, but passionate kiss. They smiled against each other's lips as Sam momentarily lifted her off the ground again, and then another round of cheers erupted from their guests as he set her back to her feet.

The rest of the music for the night consisted of a mixture of country, R&B and Motown numbers Sam and Mercedes picked out themselves. A few party classics were thrown in—the Electric Slide and the Cha-Cha Slide to name a couple. Early on in the dancing, Sam found Viola—whom he still referred to as Ms. Jones—and Mercedes went to Dwight, and together they danced with their in-laws to Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road". For the most part, however, the songs had been upbeat and kept people moving all night.

During "Got to Give It Up" by Marvin Gaye, Mercedes got the bulk of their guests to start a Soul Train line. She pulled a timid Stevie out of his seat to come down the line behind Rachel and Jesse. Despite Stacey and Sam's blatant chortling, Mercedes managed to get Stevie through it with some uncoordinated disco moves. Lizzie and Mikey stole the show however, when they came down the row. Mikey had clearly inherited his dad's ability to move to any beat, while Lizzie mashed her year of ballet lessons with the funky beat.

The only breaks in all the dancing were for three traditional events. First was the tossing of the bouquet. Mercedes made a humorous request for Beyoncé's, "Single Ladies" to be played while all their single friends congregated. Her cousin, Vanessa caught the bouquet. During the garter retrieval, the DJ played a snippet of Usher's sultry, "Nice & Slow" while a lightly buzzed Sam ducked under Mercedes' dress skirt and emerged with the silky blue belt between his teeth. He turned his back to his friends, tossed it high over his shoulder, and then whipped around in time to see Puck catch it. Everyone cheered for the Marine's victory, and laughed when he wore the garter like a sweatband for the remainder of the evening.

Last but not least was the cutting of the cake. In addition to the three-tiered spectacle, Mercedes surprised Sam with a small chocolate groom's cake decorated like Captain America's shield. After he got a picture with his cake, he and Mercedes held the knife together to cut the first piece of the tiered cake. They had a sweet photographic exchange of the first bite, and then Sam and Mercedes ditched their forks to smear their remaining slice in each other's faces.

Dancing continued on after that but gradually their friends and family started to trickle out for the night. Mike and Tina helped Stacey and Stevie bring the wedding presents inside before they took their boys to head back the hotel for bed. Finn and Quinn, Santana and Brittany, and Artie and Jay left for the hotel not long after, with promises that they'd all see each other again soon. Of the former Glee club members, Kurt, Blaine, Rachel, Jesse and Puck were the last to leave. Blaine helped Kurt and his team put the backyard back in order while a blissfully buzzed Sam and Mercedes conversed with the others. Neither newlywed was at the point of incoherence, yet they hardly stopped smiling through their conversations.

"You guys, that was such a beautiful ceremony. And a really fun reception," Rachel said.

"Yes," agreed Jesse as he wound an arm around the petite brunette. "There was a total Southern Glam flair throughout that Kurt managed to pull off without being utterly tacky."

"Well…that was kind of the theme," Sam said while Mercedes was still trying to decide how bothered she should be by Jesse's borderline backhanded compliment.

"Jesse what are you doing these days, anyway?" she asked.

With swift confidence, Jesse told her, "Remember my plan to be a consultant for glee clubs around the country? Well I did that for a couple years, and then ended up in New York to assist a glee club in Long Island win Nationals. While doing that, I was auditioning for productions on Broadway. One starring role led to another, and now here I am. I still consult when I have the time, but for the most part I've been letting my star quality entertain higher-paying audiences."

Sam nodded thoughtfully while Mercedes fought the urge to roll her eyes. She didn't know why she'd hoped to get a short, modest answer from him at all. He was very much a male version of Rachel—there was no arguing that.

Rachel skittishly intervened, "Yeah, Jesse and I actually bumped into each other after I flew back from Vegas. We hadn't seen each other since we'd performed together in _Beauty and the Beast_ so…we caught up, and I invited him here with me. By the way, I never really got around to properly thanking you guys for letting me bring him as my date." Her eyes were restless as she made a circuit of looking from Sam to Mercedes to the floor.

Promptly and unabashedly, Mercedes told her, "Well_ I_ wanna thank you for keeping our wedding drama-free. Hopefully the same thing can happen at the reunion."

Out of nowhere, Puck showed up amongst the group with a slice of Sam's cake and chimed in. "Reunion?"

"Y-yeah, the 10-year McKinley High class reunion?" reminded Rachel.

"Oh," he mumbled around the cake, "I dunno if I'll be there or not but if I am, I don't wanna waste a trip home just to re-live the stupid stuff."

"I _definitely_ second that," Mercedes impudently stated while reaching to pluck her garter off his head.

"Amen," added Sam with a smile. "But Rachel, Jesse, Puck, thanks for coming today. It meant a lot to us to have you guys here." He then fixed his eyes on the Marine and asked, "Jay and Artie already left so, uh…you need a ride to the hotel?"

"Nah dude. I called me a cab already, so…I'm good."

Mercedes saw Rachel and Jesse edging towards the front door, so she told them, "We'll see you soon, Rachel. Good to see you too, Jesse." Her attention also was derailed by Puck though; she found herself eyeing the cake on his plate. With a reprimanding gaze, she told him, "Puck I know you're a big, bad Marine now but if you eat all of Sam's cake I _will_ kick your butt in this dress."

The two Broadway stars took turns hugging the bride and groom and then headed for the front door while Puck snuck off to find more cake. He quickly returned to Sam and Mercedes when he recalled a question.

"Mercedes, hang on a sec. I've been wanting to ask you something _all day_."

Smiling and curious Mercedes said, "What up, Puck?"

With a very deliberately contemplative grin, he asked, "Do you like Twister?"

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><p><em>The following are a list of some of the many songs DJedperformed at Sam & Mercedes' wedding reception. The ones with the asterisk are the songs/lyrics actually used and mentioned in this chapter & the previous chapter, "Keeps Getting Better":_

"You Are My Lady"—Barry White & Luther Vandross  
>"My Girl"—The Temptations<br>"All About You"—McFly*  
>"For You I Will"—Monica<br>"Nice & Slow"—Usher*  
>"P.Y.T."—Michael Jackson<br>"The Way You Make Me Feel"—Michael Jackson  
>"Forever and For Always"—Shania Twain<br>"No One"—Alicia Keys  
>"It's Your Love"—Faith Hill &amp; Tim McGraw<br>"Prototype"—OutKast  
>"Love On Top"—Beyoncé*<br>"Single Ladies"—Beyoncé  
>"Could It Be I'm Falling In Love?"—The Spinners<br>"Got to Give It Up"—Marvin Gaye*  
>"I'm Yours"—Jason Mraz<br>"Love Like This"—Faith Evans  
>"Because of Your Love"—Kenny Chesney<br>"I Hope You Dance"—Lee Ann Womack  
>"Let's Stay Together"—Al Green<br>"Kiss"—Prince  
>"Bless the Broken Road"—Rascal Flatts*<br>"I Wanna Dance With Somebody"—Whitney Houston  
>"I'm Every Woman"—Whitney Houston<br>"Ribbon In the Sky"—Stevie Wonder  
>"Love Rollercoaster"—Ohio Players<br>"Always & Forever"—Heatwave*  
>"Angels"—Randy Travis*<br>"I Turn To You"—Christina Aguilera

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><p><em><strong>As always, PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! I'm curious to know what you all thought of the Samcedes Southern Glam weddingreception! Also, I'm working on the honeymoon; while I have plans for that, I'm still kicking around ideas for "where" they're going to go for their honeymoon. I'd love to have some suggestions!**_


	19. Rock the Boat

_**June 13, 2022**_

After all the guests had gone on the night of the wedding, Sam and Mercedes went upstairs and passed out in the Evans' guest room. The next day, in the early afternoon, the newlyweds loaded their luggage into Mary Evans' Camry and the senior Mrs. Evans drove them to the airport. During the drive, Mercedes tried to get Sam to finally tell her where they were going.

"You said you'd tell me after the wedding," she reminded him.

Sam held up one finger wisely and smirked, "Yeah but I didn't say _when_ after the wedding."

Mrs. Evans giggled at the two at the same time that Mercedes leaned to the back seats to playfully swat her husband. "Come on Sam. You know I don't like surprises."

"You always say that, Benz. Yet every time I _do_ surprise you, you love it."

With nothing to refute that, the singer gave up with him and situated herself back in the front seat. She pouted momentarily, and then looked to her new mother-in-law, "He didn't tell you where we're going, did he, Mrs. Evans?"

Mary Evans smiled, "Actually yes, Dwight and I know."

Mercedes gawked, "You're kidding."

"No ma'am," she giggled again. "Your mother and father know too."

Sagging in her seat, Mercedes childishly muttered to herself, "I hate surprises."

"You hate being left out of the loop is more like it," amended Sam.

Mercedes silence was enough of confirmation for that. Mary Evans seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the car ride with her daughter-in-law and son. When they reached the small airport, Mary hugged them both 'goodbye' and wished them a good time on their honeymoon.

"I love you both," she said before returning to her car to leave.

Mercedes started to cart her luggage toward the main entrance where they had been dropped off, but Sam spoke up, "Whoa, hold on there. Where are you going?"

Brow arched, Mercedes said in an obvious way, "Inside the airport."

Sam gave her a knowing smile while shaking his head, "You're going the wrong way." Rather than walking toward the automatic double doors, he led them down the length of the building and out to the nearest landing strip. Waiting on the tarmac was a small private jet. Sam stopped, and so did Mercedes.

"A private plane ride?" she asked, unable to fight her smile.

"Yep," Sam told her with an answering smile.

They carried on; the pilot greeted them just outside the plane while an attendant relieved them of their luggage. Once they boarded, Sam took two Dramamine while Mercedes asked him again where they were going. Sam continued to keep her in suspense, enjoying all the childish grunts and grumbles she would respond with. Eventually the Dramamine kicked in and he knew he would be unconscious soon.

"Is this going to be a long flight?" Mercedes asked as he started falling asleep.

Settled into his seat, Sam closed his eyes, "Maybe. And don't bother bugging the attendant while I'm sleeping. He already knows not to tell you either."

Mercedes clicked her tongue, followed by an exasperated sigh. For a moment, she considered taking a Dramamine as well, just to sleep through whatever was left of the flight. But she knew she was too agitated with curiosity to sleep, so she decided to try watching a movie from her phone instead.

While scrolling through her options, the annoyance of being in the dark started to be worn down by her exhaust from the previous day. She hadn't slept much during the night—simply from being too ecstatic about how_ right_ their wedding day was. The thought stayed with her, and she hoped it would never leave, but her body was pestering her for the sleep she lacked. After requesting a pillow from the lone flight attendant, Mercedes kindly propped her pillow against Sam's shoulder, leaned across the armrest and slept for the remaining hours of the flight.

* * *

><p>Mercedes' eyes snapped open, the moment the jet's wheels touched down. Instinctively, she sat right up, looking a little befuddled until she remembered that she and Sam were on a plane. She stretched her arms and then put in the necessary efforts to wake her husband. Once he came to, Sam stretched as well, and smiled sleepily at her.<p>

"Enjoy your nap?" asked Mercedes.

Nodding, Sam said, "Mmhm. And when we get off the plane, we'll be onto our next destination."

Mercedes raised her brow and looked out of one of the nearby windows. "So we're not there yet?" While the sunset looked gorgeous, she couldn't tell where they were; the airport they landed in hardly gave anything away.

"Well, you don't want to spend our honeymoon at the airport do you? I know _I_ don't."

She pursed her lips and muttered something under her breath that sounded like, "Smart ass."

True to Sam's word, they were escorted to a town car, directly from the jet. Though he had still been a tad drowsy from the medicine, Mercedes' growing excitement was becoming more apparent and contagious. He knew she wouldn't pester him further about where he'd had them flown, so he fought the grogginess of the Dramamine and watched her with an amused smirk.

Mercedes was staring out of the town car, trying to sport something—_any_thing that might tip her off on where they were. So far, she gathered that they were near the ocean. And unlike California's Pacific coast, the water here looked inviting for anyone. The other thing she noticed was that there were a _lot_ of trees. Mercedes bit her lip as realization lit up her face.

"Oh my God, Sam!"

He naïvely grinned, "Yes?"

"Are we where I think we are? And by that, I mean St. Lucia?"

Still grinning innocently, his shoulders slowly raised, then dropped, "_May_be."

"Oh my God!" she repeated, happily clutching his arm. "You're kidding!"

Sam's smirk turned slightly prideful, "Nope. I remember you saying last year that you really wanted to go here one day. Plus we've never been on a cruise so…I went with the next best thing."

Her face scrunched, "A cruise? The next best thing?"

With impeccable timing, a small harbor along the Canaries coast came into view. Sam pointed to her window and when Mercedes looked back out, her mouth fell open. Docked in the harbor was a luxurious yacht. From the outside it looked far too massive for two people, but when they neared it they spotted two uniformed men standing in front of the yacht's entrance.

Mercedes looked to Sam for an explanation, which he easily answered. "One's the captain and the other guy's probably his first mate or something. They've got their own part of the boat for sleeping and stuff, but the rest is ours until Saturday."

Once the car came to a stop, Mercedes hurried out of the car like a kid on Christmas morning. Sam watched after her, particularly amused by her excitement, but his eyes were distracted by the curves of her backside. With a smirk, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out to join her.

The second guy, whom they quickly learned was an attendant, relieved them of their luggage and encouraged them to enter the yacht. Mercedes started to advance the ramp, but Sam gripped her arm, stopping her before she got inside.

"Sam, what are you—"

The rest of her inquiry was sucked into a gasp as Sam lifted her into his arms like the bride she was. Mercedes instinctively secured her arms around his neck while he carried her through the threshold.

"I've been waiting to do that," he admitted with a shameless grin.

Mercedes treated him to a tender kiss before being set back to her feet. After the attendant shuffled past with their things, he started to descend down a concealed set of stairs. The captain followed his path, but before taking to the stairs, he told the couple, "Please have a look around. If you have any questions, feel free to summon the attendant, Luka over the intercom." He gestured to the white box on the nearby wall, and then swiftly went down the stairs.

As the steps grew faint and a door closed below, Sam slipped a hand into one of his wife's denim back pockets. Mercedes reactively cocked a brow at him, but she also smirked when his fingers molded to her rounded backside.

"You're not gonna at least wait 'til we get to a room?" she asked.

"Technically," Sam bent his head, grazing his lips along the side of her neck, "we _are_ in a room."

Mercedes looked over his shoulder at the spacious, intimately-lit common room which made up the majority of the yacht's upper level; the rest was a kitchenette. In the common room, there was a cohesive arrangement of chairs, couches and end tables, all within view of a large, mounted flat screen television. A couple of blankets were draped over the two couches, and the tables had minimal decorative fixings.

Sure, they could have a lot of fun with all the furniture, but Mercedes couldn't ignore the fact that the captain and attendant were lurking around somewhere. Sam seemed pretty bent on making her forget about them though. His lips were a little more fervent than the grazing now and it was slowly driving her crazy.

She rolled her eyes shut in an attempt to steel herself but it didn't work. Sam knew all the ways to turn her to putty in his hands; quickly, she was becoming unhinged.

His lips trailed suckled kisses down the groove of her neck and when he reached the wide collar of her striped blouse, he used his nose to slide it off her round shoulders. He heard Mercedes' breaths become slightly more audible than before as his other hand came around her waist and slipped underneath the hem of her shirt. There was something to be said about the smooth planes of her rich, chocolate skin and he loved exploring them, every chance he got.

Mercedes arched her back, causing her breasts to smash into his chest. She snaked her hands around his sides, gripping the thin cotton of his t-shirt to show she wanted him just as badly as he did. While biting her lip, she tilted her chin up to invite Sam to tend to her throat. He complied by bringing his trail of kisses back near her neck. She soon felt his hand leave her back pocket to assist the other one in lifting her blouse off.

"New bra?" Sam asked—his sage hues momentarily fixed on the lacy black corset bra. More than the bra, he was admiring the way they cupped her voluptuous chest.

"_May_be," she mocked with a cheeky grin.

Sam grinned back and then bent his knees. When he stood completely upright again, his hands were tucked under Mercedes' thighs, carrying her further into the common room.

Mercedes locked her legs around Sam's hips. She gazed down at him—something she was rarely able to do—and kissed his lips. A few times, she pulled away, but not without some teasing nips to his bottom lip. She soon found herself looking up at Sam again; he sat her down on one of the couches.

"You have too many clothes on," she told him, reaching for his jeans.

He allowed her to unbutton and unzip his pants, but his hands came to the waistline and pulled them down to his ankles. As soon as he went to step out of them, the entire yacht gave one sharp jolt away from the dock, knocking Sam off balance and onto his back.

Mercedes scooted to the edge of the couch to peer over his knees, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just wasn't expecting that," he answered with a low chuckle. "Guess we're heading out to sea." He started to sit up, but Mercedes' rise from the couch enticed him to only prop himself on his elbows.

The singer removed her jeans, leaving her lower half clad in boy shorts that matched her new bra. She pulled her the scrunchie out of her ponytail, letting the long, thick layers spill down her shoulders. While beaming a seductive grin at her husband, she lowered herself to the floor and straddled his hips. Although she hadn't said it, she still felt like he was overdressed, so she took care of that with some assistance from Sam.

Shamelessly, her eyes probed over his bare skin and all its muscular glory. Her hands started near Sam's pelvis and ran slowly up his torso, giving him goosebumps before she reached his shoulders.

Sam exercised some of his muscle by roughly switching places with Mercedes. He grinned when she gasped, finding herself now on her back. After brushing strands of her weave from her face, Sam crushed his lips to hers while grinding his stiff crotch to hers in a teasing manner.

Mercedes moaned against his persistent lips, curling her acrylics into his back. She tore her mouth from his for air. "Damn tease," she breathed.

He caressed her thighs, running his hands in gruff circles along her skin, and then seized her lips once more; his hands only left her thighs long enough to lessen the friction between their pelvises.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please leave reviews! More to come in time!<em>**


	20. Godiva & the Stallion

_**June 14, 2022**_

Mercedes woke up with a smile on her face. As she opened her eyes she brushed her messy hair from her face. It was going to take forever to comb the knots out. The cause of said knots made her smile grow though. Her bare backside was nestled into Sam's equally naked front. His arm was around her, tucked under her breasts and Mercedes could feel him breathing light, rhythmic snores against the back of her head.

As she became more and more conscious, she was noticed that she and Sam were no longer in the yacht's common room. For one, the room they were now in was noticeably cooler. Second, she and Sam had definitely done some reorganizing of the furniture. This room had less furniture, and all of it was upright and in a neat place.

She turned her head to get a better scope of the dimly-lit room and after spotting their luggage stacked near the entrance door, she realized that it was a bedroom. Sam must have brought her down here because she had no recollection of walking herself down.

Part of her grew conflicted between staying right where she was and getting up to tend to her hair. She was so comfortable being so warm and secure in her husband's hold, yet the mess her hair had become was getting to her. So she decided to make a quick trip to the nearby bathroom, fix her hair and then return to the bed. As she slipped out of Sam's hold and to the edge of the bed, she heard him stir. With one glance over her shoulder, she was staring back at a pair of sleepy green eyes.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she quietly told him. Rising to her feet, she felt insanely stiff; various parts of her back and groin were sore, and a small but tender bruise appeared on her right hip. When she stood up, her extensive weave spilled past her shoulders, ending right above her rear. Sighing, she said, "I'm never getting my hair done this long again. It's too much to manage."

"You look like Lady Godiva. Godiva Chocolate," he teased in his hoarse morning voice.

"Yeah, after she fell off her horse and took a roll in the hay."

Sam shrugged, "Sounds pretty hot to me. Wait, so does that make me your horse?"

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him, but her pursed her lips smiled. As she started toward the bathroom, one hand went to her right thigh and stayed there as she walked.

He grinned smugly but it fell as he watched her walk. Or rather, he noticed a limp in her step. Right away, his face smoothed out to sheer amusement; it was like getting a gold star for a job well-done. "You okay, Benz?" he asked.

The buoyancy in his voice made Mercedes' brows furrow as she entered the bathroom. She took her time responding while pressing a hand hard toward the inner part of her pelvis, as though it might alleviate the soreness. "Never better," she muttered, though her face reflected a mix of the pain and pleasure.

Before she knew it, Sam was standing in the bathroom doorway, just a foot or so behind her. She looked at his reflection in the mirror—his face showing that he obviously didn't buy her answer. His hand replaced the one that was on her thigh and began lightly massaging it while he bent his head to kiss her cheek. Mercedes' eyes rolled shut, and Sam deviously grinned and asked her, "How's that?"

Mercedes bowed her back and gave a responsive groan, "Good. _Too_ good…"

"Come back to bed with me," he crooned—his tender lips nibbling the lobe of her ear.

"But…my hair," she feebly protested, bowing her backside further into his front.

Still gazing on her ear, he purred, "¿_Quien cuida?_…_Te quiero ahora_…"

Her head lolled to one side; she bit down on her lip, hard, while trying to concentrate on not letting her knees give out on her. It grew increasingly difficult as he continued murmuring sweet phrases that only became familiar to her because he interchangeably used them when she played hard to get, or when he really wanted her. With Sam's hand still caressing her thigh, she felt herself being tugged back out of the bathroom. She hardly resisted, especially since is near-fluent Spanish coaxed her all the way back to the bed.

* * *

><p>"This is gonna end up being our whole honeymoon, huh?" Mercedes asked—her cheek resting against Sam's toned chest.<p>

He shrugged with a half smile, "I didn't plan on that. I figured during the day we'd have the Captain dock the yacht while we played tourist around St. Lucia. Then at night we'd go back out on the sea and have our alone time. But nothing's set in stone and you know I'm flexible. I wouldn't be against this for our honeymoon." As if to indicate his meaning further, he lowered one hand from behind his head to trace light figure-8's along her bare arm.

"Of course you wouldn't be against it. _You're_ not the one who'd be walking funny when we got back home."

Sam's smile spread as he quickly told her, "If the paparazzi ask, just tell them you were out on sea and are getting your land legs back."

She scoffed, "My land legs. Right."

"Or," he started but paused to think. A second later, he was grinning devilishly again. "Tell them you went riding all week."

Mercedes raised her head to look at him, just as he unabashedly winked at her. "You weren't kidding when you said I gave you some new confidence, were you?" she asked with a small smirk.

"Not at all, Godiva."

"Shut up," she hissed with a smile.

"I wonder what her horse's name was."

"You're a damn fool, Evans."

He grinned again, "Only for you, my lady. And you might wanna think of a new nickname for me. You're an Evans too now, y'know."

She raised her head again to beam a giddy grin at him. "I knowwww," she half sang, half squealed. "But I don't wanna give you a new nickname. Evans and Benz have been our nicknames to each other since college. Plus, I call you Honey sometimes. So maybe you need to think of a second nickname for me besides Benz."

Sam raised his brow; sooner than expected, he answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "Godiva."

She grinned, "Have fun explaining that one to people."

"Oh I will."

"No!" she playfully pushed his face, "that's a name you save for the bedroom!"

He laughed at her reaction, "Alright but if I slip up and call you Godiva around, say…Mike, I won't have a choice but to explain."

"You'll_ have_ a choice. And you're gonna choose to explain it to him—I know it." Her cheeks were turning a slightly darker shade. Sam's answering grin told her she was right.

Sam felt a little bit guilty though when Mercedes sat up and winced, pressing a hand to her thigh again. He sat up as well—his legs bending on either side of her. For a moment, his lips pursed and then he kindly asked, "Can you walk?"

She was sliding to the edge of the bed again, "I better! I think I…_You_ strained a muscle in my leg, but I'm not spending the whole week in bed." She chuckled at Sam's feigned pout but went on, "We're in St. Lucia. I want to be able to walk around—see the island, and do some shopping."

"Shopping," he echoed with fake dread. "Why, oh why the horrible "S" word."

Mercedes rolled her eyes at him and slowly stood to head to the bathroom. As she hobbled there, Sam got up from the bed as well to retrieve his boxers. "Hey, I thought I saw a couple robes hanging up in there. Why don't you throw one on and meet me upstairs? I'll fix us some breakfast."

"What time is it anyway?" she asked from the bathroom.

"Uhh…" he looked around the room for a wall or desk clock, and then spotted one hanging above the entry door's frame. "Looks like it's 1:15."

"_1_:15? Breakfast at 1:15?"

"…Brunch?" he suggested.

Mercedes popped her head out of the bathroom, smiling. "Brunch."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! Do you want to seeread about more of their time in St. Lucia, **_off _**the yacht? Shall I move on from the honeymoon? Let me know what you think!**_


	21. Bailamos

Throughout the week, Sam and Mercedes lucked out, relaxing and enjoying their honeymoon with minimal interference from the paparazzi. A couple of days, they did spend a lot of the time walking around, going on tours, bicycling along the beach, and shopping at the local bizarre and markets. Portions of their days were relished out on the waters, but upon Mercedes' demand they spaced out their time having sex.

One entire day was spent venturing the thick green growth with a guide. Upon their hike, their guide led them to a discreetly located lagoon. After getting the "OK" from the guide, Sam grinned at his wife and then jumped from a high ledge wailing a loud, "BONZAI!" Mercedes broke into peals of laughter as his blond head surfaced. He waved a hand to beckon her, "Come on! The water's great!"

"Are you crazy?" she called back, smiling anxiously.

"What? Are you scared?" he taunted, grinning crookedly at her.

She folded her arms but told him, "You better believe I am!"

Saying nothing further, Sam swam to the lagoon's bank, heaved himself out and then walked back up to the place where he'd left Mercedes. He watched her expression turn from amusement to distrust and then she backed away from him and the rocky lip.

"Uh-uh, Sam Evans if you push me in, I swear I'll make you pay."

He simpered and rolled his eyes, "I wasn't gonna do that. I was gonna jump with you."

"Oh," she said, still feeling wary.

"Come on," he repeated softly with his hand out to her. "If you don't like it, we can spend all of our last day going shopping tomorrow."

Mercedes lips quirked with interest, "And if I do like it? Then what?"

"Then we stick to the original plans for the last day."

She bit her lip and then took his hand. Sam gripped it tight to reassure her and then walked up to the edge of the overhang. There were large boulders the seemed to be at the surface, but after Sam's jump, both of them knew it was an illusion. _None_ of the rocks were anywhere capable of endangering them.

"On the count of three. Ready?"

"I think so," she nodded with a dramatic, teeth-bearing grimace.

"One…two…"

Before he could utter the final count, Mercedes bent her knees and launched herself off the cliff; thankfully Sam's reflexes were quick and he jumped less than a second after her. Their splashes overlapped with one another, but—still holding hands—they swam to the surface. Mercedes' head felt weighed down by her thick, soaked hair, but she looked to her husband and beamed a wide, thrilled grin.

Sam smiled back at her, expertly keeping his head and shoulders above water. "So…shopping or original plan?"

"Original plan," Mercedes happily answered.

* * *

><p>On their final full day on the island, they decided to rent a pair of jet skis and give themselves a little more freedom on the water than the yacht allowed. Mercedes stood on the dock, clad in white-framed Guess sunglasses and a purple beach dress. She ditched the dress to reveal an apple red, skirted pinup swimsuit.<p>

Sam emerged from the yacht, puckering his lips to wolf whistle at her. He smirked afterward and scooped up her abandoned dress to toss back inside the yacht. "Well, well—this is new," he commented, looking her up and down from behind his aviator shades.

Propping her hands on her hips, Mercedes smiled confidently, "I know. I went shopping after you told me what kind of clothes I'd need to pack. I'm glad you approve of it."

"Yeah, you look sexy as hell," he shamelessly told her before bending his head to kiss her full on the lips. His digits ran over the fabric that hugged her glorious chest close and covered her thick, beautifully curved sides. After his hands explored her torso, he slipped his long fingers around and beneath her wonderfully rounded butt—a favorite spot of his for resting his hands.

When their lips pulled apart, her own eyes did their share of ogling. His constant upkeep with his physique dulled her from feeling shy about staring at him anymore. In high school she struggled to discreetly admire his sculpted abs, but now it was bold, outright staring whenever and wherever she wanted and she never apologized for it anymore. This time, after she gazed at the beauty of his V-shaped torso, his firm six-pack and the delicious divots at his pelvis where his blue swim trunks hung, she held up a hand with her set of fingers spread apart.

"Five stars, Evans." She grinned and he smirked back. It had become an ongoing private compliment; Mercedes' little way of telling him how sexy she thought he was. Other guys—specifically models and celebrities she thought were attractive—would get ratings from her, but Sam was the only one that ever got a 5.

"And you're going down out there," she added, pulling away but leading him towards the jet skis with her hand in his.

Sam scoffed, "You wish. Are you forgetting that water's _my_ element?"

"Then this is about to get a whole lot more embarrassing for you, isn't it?" she countered, wearing an obvious, teasing grin. She let go of his hand as they neared the two jet skis swaying in the water, waiting for them. Having ridden them before, the two were more than aware of how the motored skis worked.

While Sam saddled his jet ski, Mercedes quickly tamed her long hair into a loose braid that resembled a raven-hair Rapunzel. As soon as she finished, she mounted the other jet ski and started the engine.

Right away, as both jet skis idled, Sam asked her, "So then you wanna race?"

"Yep! You're on!"

He shot her a wicked grin before turning his attention to the deeper waters. About two-hundred yards away was the sight of two, bobbing neon orange buoys, spaced out from one another at about the length of a football team. "Alright Benz: we race to the buoy on the left; first one to the buoy on the right wins. If I lose, you have to make dinner tomorrow night when we get home."

Mercedes cupped a hand over her eyebrows to gain better focus on the checkpoints. "And dinner's your responsibility if _I_ win," she decided as an acceptance of his challenge.

Chuckling at her words, he said, "Alright. On your mark—"

"Ohhh no you don't!" Quickly looking around for an impartial person to commence the race, the singer spotted Luka, the yacht attendant, walking out from the luxury boat. "Excuse me, Luka?" she called out, bringing the young male to a halt.

"Can you count us off? We're getting to race," said Sam.

Luka graciously accepted with a nod of his head and counted down from 3. Once he uttered, "1", the volume on Sam and Mercedes' jet ski motors intensified and the two zoomed away from the docks. Water flecked and misted their faces as they cut through the warm, clear Caribbean waters. Both were smiling, but both were pretty determined to win.

Mercedes looked over to see Sam standing on his ski, hunched forward with his hands gripping the handles. His messy blond hair whipped around his forehead, and—even with his sunglasses on—Mercedes knew his gaze was lax but focused. He looked like someone who had been jet skiing his entire life, but she remained close.

Sam veered out to the left while Mercedes guided hers to the right. Both of them made it to the first buoy, grinning as they passed each other by but the two picked up speed once they cleared the checkpoint. Neither one slowed until after they zoomed past the second buoy.

"I won!" Mercedes rejoiced.

"No you didn't!" argued Sam, "I totally beat you!"

Mercedes removed a hand from the ski to deliberately slide her sunglasses down. "Are you kidding me? I kicked your butt, Evans!"

"I think we need an impartial judge again."

As Mercedes started to let her jet ski drift towards his, she looked back to the docks. To their fortune, Luka was still standing out on the dock and appeared to have been watching; their race gained them a little bit of an audience so they took off on the skis to ask who the victor was.

Once they had temporarily docked, Sam hopped off his jet ski and gentlemanly helped Mercedes off of hers. She thanked him and then promptly turned to Luka and their small audience. The others appeared to be local children and teens—some of whom had bright admiring eyes stuck on Mercedes.

"I think you have a fan club here," an amused Sam murmured in her ear.

She grinned up at him, "Good then they'll back me up on my victory."

The amusement faded from Sam's face. Sure enough she was right as they all—including Luka—declared her the winner.

"Yes I do believe _Mrs. Evans_ was the winner," said Luka, having the final word with his thick, French accent.

Mercedes did a little victory dance as Sam wrinkled his nose and stuck his tongue out at her. She mocked an appalled expression and poked the end of his tongue, "Don't be a poor sport. You were a worthy opponent."

Sam shook his head and hooked an arm around her shoulders, "Yeah yeah, whatever you say _Mrs. Evans_." He smiled a half smile down at her and said, "Come on, we still have a good 45 minutes before we have to turn the skis back in."

* * *

><p>After jet skiing, a shower and some cuddle time with a movie, Sam and Mercedes headed off the yacht again to spend the end of their honeymoon by enjoying the St. Lucia nightlife. Mercedes, now dressed in a purple and white zigzag printed kimono dress and sandals, walked with her arm curled around Sam's waist. Sam—clad in Bermuda shorts and a plain white shirt—had his arm draped over her shoulders while gazing admirably upon the street ahead that was full of life. People were lining the streets with conga drums and acoustic guitars in their laps, playing a Latin-reggae fused beat that almost had to be danced to. In fact, the majority of the men, women and children without instruments were already dancing, either alone or in couples. Several people throughout the crowd were wearing colorful multi-piece garbs and matching headpieces; their movements were more choreographed than the others, making them all entertaining to watch.<p>

"Dance with me," Mercedes sweetly requested, stepping backward into the street with her hands tugging his.

Sam chuckled, "Heh, but you know I haven't danced in public like this in a long time."

"So? We're not at a hoity-toity gala, and we're not competing for a trophy. We're just dancing in the street on our honeymoon. Come on, it'll be fun!" she urged with an encouraging smile. Her hands moved his in a pedaling motion as she cha-cha'ed in place.

For a moment he sucked in his bottom lip, feeling enticed by her charming smile and swaying hips, and the high energy radiating all around them. Yet part of him felt unsure if he wanted to bite the bullet and just dance. This was different than competing with boy band moves in high school, or pretending to waltz for benefits—there was purpose behind those. And it was far different from the silly booty shakes and faux Michael Jackson moves he'd bust out in their kitchen while he cooked. No one else was around to see those moves.

His cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink as he shook his head, "No—not tonight, Benz."

"So you got spanked in our race earlier and now you don't wanna dance with me?"

He tried not to smile—and failed miserably, as he asked, "Why'd you have to bring that up? The two aren't even related!"

She stared away from him and shrugged, "You don't want to dance out here with me. It's okay, I get it."

As Mercedes planned, persuading him into dancing by nonchalantly taunting him worked. Sam stepped into the street with her, looking down to copy her cha-cha steps. Once he fell into step with her, he glanced back up at her only to be met with her cheerful smile again. He stared in her eyes—bright and full of joy—and found himself smiling as well. At one point he dared to twirl her around and when she turned back to face him again, she was giggling freely.

Shortly thereafter, the rhythm of the music changed into something a little more upbeat, leaning more toward the Latin than reggae flavor. Mercedes and Sam kept with the tempo, but made up their own dance moves. While they moved, Mercedes felt her elbow get tapped on. She looked down to see one of the little girls from the docks beaming at her with outstretched hands. Appearance-wise she couldn't have been more than five or six years old. Her hair was in several braids with colorful beads dangling, and she was missing one of her front teeth in her wide smile.

The singer smiled affectionately at the little girl and then up at Sam, "Be right back."

Mercedes took the little girl's hands and danced a short distance away with her. The young girl didn't stop smiling the entire time that she had the singer's attention. She was guided through a couple of twirls and mimicked Mercedes' hip shaking and playful fist pumping. Soon, a few other young children joined them, surrounding Mercedes in giggles and dance moves.

Sam stepped back onto the curb and leaned against a nearby building, watching his wife wit adoration. He chuckled a few times, noticing that Mercedes managed to incorporate a few hokey pokey moves with her dance. Eventually an elder woman whom Sam assumed was the first girl's mother, approached with a camera. Mercedes crouched to her level to give the girl and the other children big hugs and then pose beside with them for a few pictures. As the mom prepared to take one picture, another caramel-skinned little girl with two puffs of frizzy black hair atop her head seized Sam's hand. She giggled at him while tugging him back to the street. "Dance!" she commanded.

"Alright," he said with a chuckle. The little girl jumped up and down in a circle and Sam smiled again, admiring her carefree spirit and obvious energy. He opted on the twist and a little bit of hip shaking while complimenting the young girl on her springy dance move.

Mercedes soon returned to her husband, but avoided interrupting the adorable sight of him and the young girl dancing. Her lips curved up when he held her hands, instructed her to stand on his feet, and then performed his own version of the Egyptian walk. The look on Sam's face was so carefree now, and his expert ability to bond with children was enough to make Mercedes' heart want to burst right out of her chest.

When the song ended, everyone in the streets broke into applause, except for the young girl who clung to Sam's waist for a tight hug. Mercedes smiled at her husband's new admirer; after he gave her a hug back, the girl waved a giddy 'goodbye' to him and took off into the crowd. As Mercedes strolled back to him, the live music started up again at a slow, ballad tempo.

Sam watched the exuberant girl wander away until he caught Mercedes in his peripheral vision. When he looked her way, his eyes met hers and he lightly blushed while rubbing the back of his neck. His hand fell away from his nape to welcome her back into his arms.

"She seemed really excited to dance with you," she noted, bringing her hands up to his shoulders to dance.

He was still smiling while he told her, "She was a cute kid. Kinda reminded me of Stacey when she was that little."

_That wasn't the first thought that came to _my_ mind_, Mercedes thought to herself as they danced. Sure, she could think of several moments she had witnessed where Sam had been that playful and carefree towards his siblings when they were young, but there was something different about him when she watched him dance with that little girl.

Mercedes lowered her gaze, pressing her cheek contently to his chest before he could cast a curious gaze upon her.

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><p><em><strong>Reviews are always welcome! More's coming, of course!<strong>_


	22. Seeing Double

_**July 20, 2022**_ (Wednesday)

Upon returning from their honeymoon, Sam and Mercedes received their gifts from the wedding, as well as congratulatory gifts from friends from Mercedes' record label, and celebrities Sam had worked with for film voice-overs. Amongst the deliveries, Mercedes recognized the wrapped packaging and handles of a new comforter set, but Sam discreetly whisked it into his office when he saw that it was from Puck.

In a matter of days, both of them felt the glamour of being off the radar fade away as their coming weeks busied up. Sam was called and recommended for some new, upcoming voice over auditions. And Mercedes had been asked to perform at the MTV VMAs in October and she accepted. In addition, she had plans of writing and recording new single, but fell ill the week after they left St. Lucia. She had hoped it was something that would pass soon, but when it didn't, she grew concerned. While Sam was at a meeting in Burbank, she made a trip out a nearby pharmacy.

It was hard for Mercedes to get excited about the prospect of being pregnant again. If she was—as the test she took indicated—she would only be about a month along. Somehow, it should have felt easier to tell Sam about it. Yet here she was, pacing half the length of their bedroom for over an hour while holding the plastic stick in one hand, rehearsing some ways to tell him.

"I think our year's about to get a little more eventful…" after speaking it, she shook her head and tried again. "Maybe this is the year for us to be parents…" again, stupid. "I guess all that fun in St. Lucia paid o—" she couldn't even bring herself to finish that one aloud. Whatever she was going to say wasn't going to be a rehearsal anymore because she heard the front door open, followed by the familiar jingle of Sam's keys.

"Benz, where are you?" he called.

Biting on her thumb nail, she answered, "In here."

Little by little his steps neared their room. He spoke up again before reaching the door, "Hey guess what? I got the part to voice Cyclops for a new…X-Men cartoon re-make…what's the matter?" His eyes took in her crestfallen face first, and then they fixed on the plastic stick in her hand. He dropped his phone—eyes going wide with anxiety—took in an audible breath, held it for a few seconds and noisily let it out. "What's it say?"

Still nervously clenching her teeth on her thumb nail, she raised the pregnancy test to Sam so he could read it. The little square window showed two minty green double lines running visibly down the middle.

Sam's lips parted for a moment but he settled them again. Rather than staring at the positive sign anymore, he looked past it at Mercedes. "Are you okay?"

She nodded while lowering the test to her side, "I'm fine. I still feel a little sick, but at least I know why now. I'm fine. Really, I am."

He didn't buy it. "You should've waited until I got home to take it. I could've been here with you when you got the results."

"I know. But I really only suspected this after you left this morning. Remember last night how I said I was going to do some songwriting today? Well I woke up wanting to hurl—actually I did hurl but that's not the point. It came out of nowhere and then it went away. That's never happened before, and you know I lose my patience when I get worried. So I went out and bought the test—"

"You were worried?" interrupted Sam who was trying to keep up with her nattering.

Mercedes frantically went on though, "—and I wanted to wait for you and for a little while I did but you said you weren't going to be back for a while and I didn't know what 'a while' was going to look like so I went ahead and took it about an hour ago and a few minutes later the two lines showed up and the box said two lines means a positive and one line means negative so we know it says I'm pregnant and these things are usually accurate now but—"

Sam cupped a hand over her mouth. His eyes were wide with his own bout of worry; she sounded like she was spiraling into hysterics. Keeping his hand over her mouth, Sam calmly instructed her, "Take a deep breath through your nose."

Her own widened eyes closed. Sam felt air pass over his pinky finger as it entered her nostril. Slowly he lowered his hand from her lips and said, "Okay…let it out _slowly_ through your mouth."

The air shakily left Mercedes' mouth. As his hand fell from her mouth, she opened her eyes to look directly in Sam's pair and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured back. Taking a deep breath of his own, Sam asked, "If we go to Dr. Bourdon for a confirmation soon, is that something you think you'd be ready for?"

After hesitating to answer, Mercedes wandered to the bathroom to throw the test away and wash her hands. She used the time to think over his question. _Was_ she ready to find out that she was pregnant again? Was she ready to go through another series of sonograms and ultrasounds? Was she ready to go through another potential loss? The short answers to those were yes, no and never. Despite the grief she and Sam went through earlier that year, it didn't deter her from wanting to have children with him. But going in for another sonogram and ultrasound meant that she was opening herself up for déjà vu. And if she and Sam had to relive losing their baby again, she didn't know if she could recover as evenly as she did before.

By the time she emerged from the bathroom, Sam stood in the same spot she'd left him at, still patiently waiting her answer. Mercedes stood in front of him and took his hands for support.

"I'm sorry I stole your thunder about the voice over job. I really am proud of you and happy that you're going to get to entertain people regularly with your voice."

"It's okay," he replied, casting an assuring smile at her.

"But…We need to make the appointment. I need to know if I need to start taking better care of myself, or if the test was a false positive." The likelihood of that was of course, slim-to-none.

Sam nodded and gently squeezed her hand back. He opened his mouth to tell her something but Mercedes beat him to speaking.

"Sam?" Her eyes were glistening with anxiety as each orb struggled to fix on his green irises. "I know you're worried about me and I love you for always thinking of me, but what about you? Is this something that _you're_ ready for?"

His lips settled and he gazed back at her as though his answer was somewhere in her eyes. Soon, he lifted one of his hands to gently cup her cheek. His thumb rubbed up and down her smooth skin in a soothing manner as he answered. "Well…it does seem like a lot's happening at once for us, doesn't it?"

Mercedes bit her lip, but didn't say anything back.

"I'm nervous, but I wouldn't change any of it," added Sam. "You and I know we want to be parents someday. If it's our time for that to happen, then great. Am I ready to be here for you? Always. Am I ready to be a dad? I hope so." His lips raised into a small but sincere smile. "We'll find out, won't we?"

Mercedes nodded but couldn't bring herself to smile back yet. "I don't want to go to the reunion next week if I'm pregnant. I don't want to chance that flight this early on, and I don't want risk saying something about this and it getting out to the media before we even tell our families."

"No problem. I can cancel our flight and we'll stay in—have a movie date or something."

The singer frowned, "You don't have to skip it because of me, Honey. You should go and see everybody. I know we didn't really get to talk to everyone that much at the wedding and some of your friends from the football and swim teams will be there."

"It's not a big deal," countered Sam with a shrug. "I keep in touch with most of the people I'd be interested in seeing anyway, and they're all going. If anything crazy happens, we can just get the story from them."

"One more thing," she whispered. "If we find out I'm pregnant…" she lowered her gaze to their hands and quietly told him, "I don't want to tell anybody, and I mean _any_body. Not yet at least."

Sam's brows slanted a fraction, "What about our parents? And our siblings?"

She shook her head, "Not yet. I want to wait until I get past the first trimester."

His confusion deepened, "Why?"

"Because after—…last time happened, I read this book…and it said that if you're someone who's…gone through what we went through, and you get pregnant again, that you should wait until you've gotten through the first trimester. I guess the chances of the baby being carried to term are greater after the first trimester. I don't know if that's gonna be true or not—I know it isn't true for everyone. But I…I just don't wanna get everyone's hopes up again, so soon."

Sam's jaw was tight at first. He didn't like keeping secrets this important from his family; his parents especially. But as he listened to Mercedes, he grew to understand where she was coming from. And he didn't want to upset her. If she was pregnant, he knew that reducing stress would be important.

After lowering his hand from her cheek, he took both of her hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze. She already looked distressed—not once had she smiled since came home. Finding the answer that he wanted to give, Sam spoke softly, "You haven't forgotten that I'm bad at keeping secrets."

Mercedes chuckled dryly, "Yeah but I know you can do it when it really counts."

"Oh I don't know…you remember how I slipped and almost spilled the beans about my mom's 50th birthday party?"

And there it was—Mercedes smiled at the recollection, "Yeah I think your dad was gonna find a way to reach through the phone and ring your neck."

Sam returned the smile and then bent his head to kiss her forehead. "Mercedes, I won't say anything."

* * *

><p>The pair scheduled an appointment with Mercedes' gynecologist the following afternoon. Having a greater fear of the sonogram than a needle, she opted for a blood test this time. Sure enough, the test came back positive and after a few inquiries from the doctor, it was determined that she was just shy over a month along. Handling the news delicately, Dr. Bourdon walked her and Sam through some pamphlets on caring for herself and her baby, and prescribed prenatal vitamins for her to take.<p>

The realization of the pregnancy didn't really hit Mercedes until she and Sam were on their way back home. Her mind was split between feeling fearful and joyful about the news. With the vitamins and pamphlets in her lap she bowed her head, closed her eyes and said a quiet, hopeful prayer, begging God not to put her and Sam through another miscarriage.

From the corner of his eyes, Sam read her anxious determination from what she was doing; and although he couldn't fully join her, he removed one hand from the steering wheel and slipped it between her clasped hands. Right away, he felt Mercedes close her hands around his, and he wordlessly joined her in the same hopes.

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More is coming soon.<strong>_


	23. And Baby Makes Four

_**October15, 2022**_ (Saturday)

Tonight, Mercedes was giving a performance at the MTV VMAs, singing the song that not only won her the Grammy, but also got her nominated for three moon men that evening—best female artist, Best R&B Video, Best Female Video and Video of the Year. The song she had written and later had produced and created as a single had been a song she had written in the wake of the senior Mrs. Evans' battle with cancer. Neither she nor Sam publicized his mother's illness but the song was Mercedes' way of responding to it all, and letting the man she loved know that she was here for him. And while Sam had not joined her in the actual video, a different actor depicted the array of emotions Sam expressed through the ordeal while Mercedes sang out to him. The uplifting melody coupled with the intense silent portrayal from the actor created a powerful video for an already strong and memorable song.

Now, just over a year since the video's premiere, the singer was on her way to perform the song and potentially be awarded for it. Mercedes repeatedly smoothed out the fabric of her plum flutter-sleeved pleated dress. She had adorned it with a wide, golden belt—matching her equally golden shoes and jewelry—to help conceal her forming bump. Four months into her pregnancy and it started to become difficult to hide her fertile state. Rumors were already plastered on the tabloids but thus far, she and Sam had only confirmed the pregnancy to their family and close friends.

She and Sam were riding in the back of a limousine along with Noah Puckerman, who had flown in to visit them the night before. The married couple invited him along, knowing that he had never gone to an awards show with them in the past and would likely have a great time before his approaching deployment. Opting out of his uniform dress blues for the occasion, he chose the less formal route of jeans and a black, partially buttoned dress shirt.

Sam, who was in equally the casual "jeans and a shirt" garb but added a leather jacket, sucked his Marine buddy into a debate over whether or not the video game, Street Fighter, could ever be made into a decent live action film.

"I'm telling you, it _can't_ be done!" insisted Puck.

Sam shook his head, "I dunno man. If Capcom could get a decent director, I think it could."

"Pft, please. Look at the failed attempts from when we were kids. The only good ones were the animated movies. They need to just quit trying with the live action crap fest."

"Or just get the right director to do it! Michael Bay could—"

Puck put his hand up, "Let me stop you right there, bro. Michael Bay did alright with _Transformers_. I'll give him that. But are you forgetting the train wreck of an attempt he made on _Teenage Mutant_ _Ninja Turtles_? He lost _huge_ director's points with me on that. _Aliens_ instead of mutants? Bullshit. You can't tamper with one of the coolest cartoons known to man like that."

Sam wanted to argue further but he didn't for two reasons; one was that he agreed with the failure of the _Ninja Turtles_ reboot. The other was that he caught Mercedes' unnerved eye and initially assumed she was exasperated with the movie banter. He frowned apologetically and mumbled, "Sorry, Benz."

Mercedes—who had been staring out one of the tinted windows—snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him and Puck, "For what?"

"Come on, 'Cedes, we know comic books and stuff aren't your thing."

She shrugged, "I don't mind them a little bit now. Sam kinda got me into a few, but I still don't know why you're apologizing to me. I wasn't listening to you guys."

Sam and Puck exchanged glances and then looked back to her. The blond reached across the seat to take her hand, "Are you feeling okay?"

Mercedes nodded and placed a hand over her belted stomach. She knew what he was referring to. "I'm fine. Just nervous."

"What gives with you guys not just telling everyone?" asked a brash Puck. He stretched out on the limo's side bench while adding, "They're gonna figure it out when you start looking like you stuffed a dodgeball under your shirt."

Sam, who was sitting within hitting range of his friend, opted for kicking the Marine in the shin instead. He privately relished in brief satisfaction when Puck glared at him, but when he returned his attention to his wife. Mercedes was glaring at Puck with vastly larger ferocity.

Mercedes addressed him in the most direct way possible. Her voice hadn't raised but it held all the attitude and pointed tone she needed to project. "Let me explain something to you Puck. First of all, when a lady is pregnant, you don't refer to her babies or stomach as a dodgeball unless you wanna get cut. Okay? And second, Sam and I have our reasons for keeping this on the D.L. and that's all you need to know."

She finished by folding her arms across her chest as though she were waiting for him to argue what she said. Her gaze flickered to Sam and his expression made her steeled features falter into confusion. His own eyes had fallen to the floor as though she had said something shameful. Parallel tracks appeared between Mercedes' brows then. "What?"

Puck's brows were nearly to his peach fuzz hairline as he asked, "Did I just hear you say _babies_?" His lips parted in wonder.

Mercedes' lips snapped shut and her eyes bugged. As soon as she recalled her sass-riddled rant in her mind, her hands cupped to her flushing face.

To that, Puck snickered and threw a playful sucker punch in Sam's shoulder, "Atta boy, Sam!" He grinned when the blond's cheeks turned red and then asked, "So how many buns did you put in Mama 'Cedes' oven?"

Biting on his lip, Sam raised up his hand in resemblance to a victory "V".

"Awwww two Trouty Mouthed divas? Congrats you two!"

"Thanks Puck," muttered the singer. "Keep it to yourself though or I will kill you." Mercedes shook her head at the Marine and finally lowered her hands from her face to look at her husband. "Why are you smiling, Sam?"

He puckered his lips and returned her wary gaze, "…Do you want the truth?"

She dipped her chin to stare at him meaningfully, "Of course I want the truth!"

Fighting his smile—and losing—Sam told her, "Well because…I wasn't the one who spilled the beans this time."

She threw her hands up and rolled her eyes, "Well hooray for you, Evans!" From there, she made to swat him in the back of the head but missed when he ducked.

"So you still haven't answered my question," Puck chimed back in. "Why are you guys keeping it a secret? I always thought that was stupid when celebs would do that crap. If there's nothing to hide then why hide it?"

"Because," retorted Mercedes, "We wanted to tell our friends and family first, before the media loses their mind over the news. It's nice to be sought after and all, but only to an extent. They're hecka nosey."

"_Hecka_?" mocked Puck. "Boy you two really have been in California too long. But anyway, I guess so. Still, you might as well get on with telling people. I saw the magazines in the stores and they're already on to you. Plus if you're carrying twins you're gonna blow up a lot sooner than if you were just carrying one kid."

Sam glanced at Mercedes with a look that said, "_He's right, you know_…" and Mercedes seemed to silently communicate back, "_I know_."

With a sigh, she said, "We had other reasons for not busting out the news sooner but…I don't think it'd hurt for us to tell our friends at least that we're having twins."

"Yeah, our parents and siblings already know about the twins," said Sam to Puck, "But you're the first of our friends to know."

Puck waved them off while helping himself to a beer, "I'm not gonna spill the beans. What's the sex of the rugrats though?"

Keeping her hands rested over her belly, Mercedes smiled softly, "We don't know yet."

"You gonna wait and be surprised, or what?"

Sam chuckled, "Are you kidding me? You really think either of us could hold out when we could know ahead of time? No, Mercedes has an appointment next week and her doctor said we might be able to find out then."

"Plus, neither of us can keep a secret apparently," Mercedes reluctantly added. "So after we find out, we'll let our families and friends know."

"Well Mama 'Cedes," Puck raised his Heineken bottle with a smirk, "Here's to hoping you birth some boys first."

"Why boys?" Mercedes inquired as he took a swig of his beer.

Lowering the bottle from his lips, Puck replied while bumping his knee with Sam's, "This guy would turn into putty with girls for his first born!"

Mercedes giggled profusely. Puck smirked unapologetically. And Sam pursed his lips but his bright pink face affirmed his friend's accusation.

* * *

><p>The MTV VMAs ended up being another fun awards night. Puck, Sam, and Mercedes sat near an aisle beside Sean Kingston and his entourage. Of the three awards Mercedes was nominated for, she picked up two new moon men—Best Female Video and Best R&amp;B Video. Her performance was slated towards the middle of the event. A large yet ordinary bed had been placed on the stage, where Mercedes sat through the entirety of her performance. But as she sat there, a small team of professional male dancers joined her on the stage—each of them performing choreographed dances intended to reflect an emotion. One was sharp, snappy and aggressive; another was fluid and restless. The third was constant performing in circles. At least one of them had always been in motion was Mercedes sang.<p>

She received applause at the end of her performance; and after leaving the stage and having herself relieved of stage hands, she returned to her seat for the rest of the show. Initially she'd planned to stick out the night for at least an hour following the show, but the desire to sleep became more desirable as her pregnancy progressed. Now the proud recipient of two more moon men, Mercedes slipped happily into the limo back home, all the while avoiding paparazzi inquiries about whether or not the pregnancy rumors were true.

The trio returned to the Beverly Hills condo and gradually readied themselves for bed. Mercedes felt her nightgowns beginning to wear tight around her middle, so she started wearing sleep shirts and boxer shorts to bed. She wandered out to the living to put her awards in an oak curio cabinet; they joined the plethora of other awards, framed certificates and plaques she and Sam had received over the years.

When her hands were free again, Mercedes took a seat on one of the couches in patient preparation for hers and Sam's new nightly routine. Her hands rubbed slow circles over her bump, and when Sam strode into the room, she looked up at him and smiled. Ever since the first ultrasound appointment—also the day they found out they were having twins—Sam had taken to singing or talking to his unborn children nearly every night before bed. Mercedes adored it, sometimes to the point of tears, mostly because Sam didn't sing that often anymore unless it was work-related. But when she could hold herself together, she would join him in singing to their babies.

"Hey show-off, put a shirt on," jeered Puck as he emerged from the hallway in a wife beater and sweats. He shook his head at his blond buddy, who was slinging a tan and black Starcaster over his bare shoulder, and plopped down in one of the cushioned chairs.

Sam quickly retorted with a smirk as his friend, "Hey maggot, you're in my house. I get to wear whatever I want."

"By the way, I'm a little offended you two haven't put my wedding present to use yet," criticized Puck.

Sam's brows furrowed but he quickly recalled and shook his head, smiling, "No not yet."

"Apparently you don't need it to get your freak on though, huh?"

Mercedes shook an amused face at Puck while Sam merely grinned and shrugged. After filling Puck in on what they were about to do, Sam nodded toward the curio cabinet while telling the Marine, "There's another guitar if you wanna join me."

Puck smirked and pushed himself up and out of the chair. "Eh, why not? I haven't played in a while." As he neared the cabinet and reached for the sleek black Sunburst, he asked, "What song are you doing?"

"'My Wish' by Rascal Flatts. You know it?"

"Yeah," replied Puck. He settled in on the second couch, rather than returning to the chair and strummed a few notes to check the key with Sam, and then started out strumming the first few would-be piano notes to the song.

Sam joined in on the Starcaster; Mercedes crooned a few "_Oooo_"s before he sang, "_I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow and each road leads you where you wanna go. And if you're faced with a choice and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you_."

Puck picked up the next few lines, "_And if one door opens to another door closed I hope you keep on walking 'til you find a window. If it's cold outside show the world the warmth of your smile_."

Together, the friends harmonized, "_But more than anything, more than anything… My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you wanted to—your dreams stay big, your worries stay small. You never need to carry more than you can hold. And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same thiiiings too. Yeah thiiiiis…"_

"…_Is myyy wish_…" Sam sang alone.

When Mercedes wasn't mouthing along to the lyrics that she did know, she was beaming a serene smile at Sam and Puck. The two men strummed along and Sam sang, "_I hope you never look back but you never forget all the ones who loved you and the place you live. I hope you always forgive and you never regret and you help somebody every chance you get._"

Again, the two men harmonized, "_Oh, you'd find God's grace in every mistake and always give more than you take. But more than anything, yeah more than anything…My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you wanted to—your dreams stay big, your worries stay small. You never need to carry more than you can hold. And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same thiiiings too. Yeah thiiiiis…"_

"…_Is myyy wish…"_

As Sam sang a slight vocal run to the last lyrics, Mercedes gasped—her eyes flashing wide. Puck, oblivious, kept strumming and singing along but Sam had stopped, becoming instantly alarmed. Even after Mercedes beamed a larger smile at him, he was anxious and confused.

Mercedes reached out to remove one of her husband's hands from his guitar and place it where her hand had once been. And then he felt it; one tiny but unmistakable kick thumped his palm. He couldn't believe it! For that brief moment he had forgotten about singing and strumming; he forgot about anything that might have been weighing on his mind, like work or the consideration of moving into a bigger home because for the first time, he felt a physical bond to one of his children.

Without being aware, Sam was smiling, wider than Mercedes. Everything else started to come back into focus for him as he leaned close to his wife's stomach and softly sang, "_I hope you know somebody loves you…may all your dreams stay big_…" Veering from the song's actual ending, he sang a'capella, "_Yeah this…is my wish_…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More is coming soon! For the next chapter? Well, Halloween is just around the corner...<strong>_** ;)**


	24. TrickOrTreat

_**October 31, 2022**_ (Monday)

Sam and Mercedes arrived at the JFK Airport in the middle of the afternoon, Eastern Time. They rented a car, but soon regretted it due to the congested New York City streets. Eventually they checked into their hotel room, and then arrived at the Anderson home—its stoop and front doors decorated in tasteful Halloween décor. Lucking out with a parking spot close by, the Evans couple got out of the car, headed up the steps and rang the doorbell. In a matter of seconds, they were greeted by their costume-clad friends. Even though they would not be trick-or-treating around the block with their daughter this year, Blaine imposed a Disney theme to Halloween that year so when he appeared at the door, he was dressed in dapper garb that made him closely resemble Prince Eric.

"Happy Halloween!" Mercedes cheered, stepping up to the door. She took in Blaine's costume and asked, "How are you not working at Disneyland?"

Blaine chuckled modestly, "Maybe one day before I get too old, they'll let me work there for one day."

"I still don't see why you and Sam didn't just let Blaine or I come pick you up," Kurt said, hugging his best friend and then moving to hug Sam. "It would have been much quicker since we know our way around better than you guys do." His own costume fashionably resembled Kuzco from _The Emperor's New Groove, _complete with a golden headpiece.

"Well Babe, maybe they wanted to enjoy the scenic route," suggested Blaine as he pulled out of his hug with Mercedes.

Kurt waved his logic off, "I suppose. But I'm glad you two finally made it. Mercedes you look fabulous by the way. And Sam…since when does Peter Pan wear sweat pants?"

"Since he found out how cold New York is in October."

While Mercedes was dressed in a pale green maternity-friendly baby doll dress with a cream cardigan and silver ballet flats, Sam wore a fitted green V-neck and equally green sweat pants. Mercedes held his hat in her hand, along with her wings.

"Oh it's not normally this chilly yet, but I don't blame you for the sweats," said Blaine. "Tights aren't exactly designed to keep you warm at night, unless you're leaping around on a stage under studio lights."

Sam regarded the short brunette as if he were speaking from experience. Mercedes tried not to laugh and Blaine looked at the two of them with a completely lost expression.

Kurt smiled at Blaine's obliviousness and shifted the attention, "Well, Lizzie's taking a nap but when she should be up within the next half hour. She'll be _really_ excited her Uncle Sammy and Aunt 'Cedes are here."

Mercedes pouted, "Aww can I go wake her up?"

"Uh, you better not Mercedes," Blaine cautioned with a friendly smile. "If you and Sam are gonna take her trick-or-treating tonight, you're going to want her to take a nap now."

"Trust me, you'll get used to this." Kurt placed an eager hand on Mercedes' rounding stomach. "That baby's going to give you plenty of restless moments—you'll be thankful for the moments where you can rest."

The singer looked up at her husband and Sam looked back to her, matching her growing smile. Kurt and Blaine both caught their exchange with curious gazes on their own faces.

"Okaaaaay, what's that about?" Kurt asked, cocking a brow and folding his hands.

"Should we tell them now?" Sam asked.

Mercedes placed a hand on her tummy and grinned, "I think we better."

"Tell us what?" Blaine asked with thrilled suspicion.

Kurt gasped, throwing his hands over his mouth, "Oh my God—you know the sex of the baby, don't you? Tell me it's a girl and tell me you're not gonna torture me like Tina did before her shower!"

"How about we tell you that it's two babies and not just one?" asked Sam.

"What?" Blaine balked with a bright grin.

Kurt overrode his reaction with a sharp, "! Twins?"

"Does that mean two girls then?" Blaine mused.

Mercedes and Sam were both entertained by their excitement. Mercedes was the one to answer this time as she rubbed her stomach, "We don't know yet. We thought we'd find out last week, but these two did not wanna cooperate."

"Ahh, taking after their mommy already," teased Kurt. "Little divas in the making."

Sam and Blaine laughed and Mercedes swatted his arm. "They are not. They're just being shy like their daddy," she said.

"Oh sure, 'shy' is wearing gold shorts that were ready to split open on stage," mocked Kurt. "And dressing up like a wannabe Justin Bieber? Total shyness maneuver."

Sam and Blaine laughed again, and Mercedes joined them this time. Blaine then moved to hug Mercedes again, "Congratulations though you two. When are you due, Mercedes?"

"Mid- March," she answered brightly. "I have a c-section scheduled right around St. Patrick's Day."

"You must let me throw you the baby shower! Please?" begged Kurt with clasped hands and twinkling eyes.

"Sorry Kurt," Sam replied with an amused smile. "Our moms are already planning a shower in Lima together."

"Yeah, this year's our year to spend Christmas in Lima with my family," Mercedes explained. "But our moms wanted to put the shower together before I'm too far along to travel, so they're doubling the shower with the holidays."

As the two men gathered up their things to leave, Blaine told the Evans couple, "Well we'll be in Lima for the week of Christmas to visit our families."

"Oh you know you guys will be invited. I sent list of people to invite to my mom and Mrs. Evans so you guys will get an invite."

As the four chattered on, little Lizzie Anderson appeared at the top of the stair case, rubbing her eyes. "Papa I'm hungr—" She gasped, "Aunt 'Cedes! Uncle Sammy!"

Immediately she bounded down the stairs and right into Sam's waiting arms. The blond picked up the freckle-nosed brunette and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "Hey munchkin!"

"Hi Uncle Sammy!" She quickly appraised his green attire and scrunched up her freckled nose, "Uncle Sammy, Shrek's not Disney!"

Mercedes giggled, "He's not Shrek, sweetie. Here let's see if this helps." She reached up with the Peter Pan hat and Sam ducked his head to help. Once it was situated on his head, he smiled to Lizzie.

The young girl gasped, "Peter Pan!"

"Uncle Sammy's gonna be her hero tonight," Blaine commented to his husband.

"Yeah, she _adores_ Peter Pan," added Kurt.

Lizzie perked up even more when she looked to her aunt, "Are you Tinkerbell?"

With a smile and a few slow nods, Mercedes told her, "I sure am!" She held up her wings while asking the young girl, "And who are you going to be?"

"Belle! I'm Belle!" she cheered.

Mercedes was stuck on the little girl's enthusiasm while the men smiled and chuckled. She reached up for Lizzie, and was quickly clung to by the small brunette.

"I was actually going to ask you, Mercedes, if you would do her hair tonight?" asked Blaine. "I'm no good at buns and—"

"And my specialties are braids and ponytails. Plus Rachel won't be here until later and knowing Lizzie, she'll want to get her costume on, A-SAP!"

"Yeah no problem!" Mercedes replied and then looked to Lizzie. "I'll have you looking like the best Belle there ever was."

"Yay!" cheered Lizzie. Her hand jutted out, pointing toward the staircase, "C'mon! Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Lizzie's preparations for trick-or-treating were delayed when her fathers insisted she eat dinner first. They had order a few pizzas which had just arrived, and Kurt wandered into the kitchen to wash off some grapes for his daughter and best friend. As they all started eating, Rachel and Jesse showed up, donning a couples' costume of Raggedy Ann and Andy. While they helped themselves to pizza, Kurt, Blaine and Sam hung out downstairs and Mercedes walked Lizzie up to her pink and yellow-themed room. She helped the littlest Anderson change into her Belle ball gown and was humming softly as her hands delicately parted Lizzie's auburn hair in a half up-half down 'do.<p>

"Aunt 'Cedes?"

Mercedes quit humming, "Yeees?"

"Papa and Daddy said that you're and Uncle Sammy's having a baby."

"That's true. Uncle Sammy and I are actually having two babies though."

Lizzie gasped loudly, "_Two_ babies? How?"

Mercedes smiled, "Well…sometimes people have more than one baby at a time. I'm having two babies so they're called 'twins'."

"Oh…" Lizzie sat on the bed beside her aunt, playing with the fringe of her yellow gown. "How do you know which one you're talking to?"

"What do you mean, sweetie?"

"You said they're called Twins! How do you know which one you're talking to if they're both called Twins?"

She giggled at the girl's innocence, "Oh, I didn't mean that 'Twins' is their name."

"What's their name?"

"I'm not sure yet. Uncle Sammy and I have to figure that out, don't we?"

Lizzie nodded, "Yeah, you gotta name them something pretty, Aunt 'Cedes!"

"Like what, Lizzie?" she asked, finishing up on the Belle-esque hairstyle.

"Uhhhmmmmm…like Jessie! Like Jessie from Toy Story! Oh! Or Wendy from Peter Pan!"

Mercedes couldn't help giggling again, "What if they're boys?"

"Oh… I 'onno. Peter?"

"I should have known as much," she said with a giggle. She lifted Lizzie into her lap with a playful groan, "You are getting so big sweetie. Are you ready for some trick-or-treating?"

Lizzie turned to her, beaming excitedly, "Uh-huh!"

She went running out of the room ahead of Mercedes and didn't slow down until she came to the staircase. Her hand held the railing as she made deliberately poised steps down each step. Kurt rushed to the stairs with his camera, posing as her personal paparazzi while Blaine complimented her profusely on how lovely she was as Belle. Mercedes joined in the showering of compliments as she started carefully descending the stairs.

When Lizzie reached the bottom of the stairs, she struck a few poses and rotated around the group of adults for pictures. With some help from Sam, Mercedes slipped her pixie wings on and sat down on the stairs for her photos with Lizzie, and when the young girl hopped up, Sam took her place for a photo with his wife. They took one, smiling side by side and the second photo Kurt snapped of them, Sam had pressed a kiss to Mercedes' tummy.

After all the photos were taken, Lizzie grabbed her jack-o-lantern bucket and darted to the front door. Sam wandered after her and Mercedes followed but she looked back to her friends. "Are you sure you guys aren't gonna come?"

Kurt happily shook his head while Blaine explained, "It's okay. We're actually looking forward to handing out candy this year."

"Yeah," chimed in Rachel, "And Jesse and I need to preserve our voices and the night air won't do us any favors in the morning."

Jesse nodded, but waved, "You guys have fun though."

Lizzie waved eager, "Bye Aunt Rachel! Bye Jesse! Bye Papa! Bye Daddy!" She gripped Sam's hand tightly and tugged him out the door with Mercedes following close behind.

Sam chuckled, "Alright we're just going around a couple blocks, Munchkin, and then head home."

She pouted her dark pink lips, "Oookayyy."

Mercedes poked her lower lip, "Aw don't pout sweetie. Come on—it's gonna be fun!"

The trio walked to the next house—a group of trick-or-treaters darting ahead of them, further up the block. Mercedes offered to walk up the neighbor's stoop with her but Lizzie declared her independence and went up to the door herself. Sam and Mercedes watched from the sidewalk as the door swung open and Lizzie boisterously called, "Trick-or-treat!"

Sam slipped his arm lovingly around his wife when she leaned into him. "How are you doing?" he asked while keeping an eye on their pseudo-niece.

"I'm alright. I'll be able to handle the couple of blocks and then probably be ready for bed."

Sam kissed the top of her head, "I'll drive us to the hotel after we bring Lizzie back."

She nodded and rose up on her toes to peck the corner of his mouth just as Lizzie came hopping down the stoop.

"I got two candies!"

"You did?" asked Mercedes as Lizzie eagerly held up her Halloween bucket.

Sam and Mercedes peered inside to see a Dum Dum and a mini packet of Skittles sitting in the bottom.

"Whoa, you better keep those Skittles from your Aunt 'Cedes." He whispered loudly enough for Mercedes to hear him say, "They're her favorite." After winking to Lizzie, he grinned when she horded the bucket close to her chest and paraded on to the next house.

When the young girl wasn't looking, Mercedes playfully swatted his shoulder. "Wait 'til I tell her your favorite candies. She's not gonna wanna show you her bucket anymore."

"Pft, what about you?" he challenged with a smirk.

"_Everyone_ hands out Reese's cups and Mini-Snickers on Halloween, Evans. She's gonna have more of those than the Skittles packets."

Sam raised a brow and smirked, "Then that means that talking her into sharing them with Uncle Sammy will be easy. She won't wanna give up her Skittles if they're rare."

Outwitted, Mercedes pouted and walked on to keep up with Lizzie, but her hand slipped down to hold Sam's.

They walked around the two blocks with their fingers intertwined; halfway around the second block, they were caught by the paparazzi. Sam took hold of Lizzie's hand with his free one during the walk along the sidewalk, and he escorted her up to the doors of the remaining houses. But the inquiries from the photographers were relentless.

"So Mercedes, when are you due?"

"Why the secrecy?"

"When are you going to confirm your pregnancy, Ms. Jones?"

"Are you hoping for a boy, Sam?"

"Getting some practice in, you two?"

"Who's this little princess with you?"

Lizzie proudly answered that, "I'm Belle!"

Mercedes smiled throughout the questioning but grinned particularly wide when Lizzie misunderstood their question.

Sam picked Lizzie up and whispered, "Let's not talk to them okay, Munchkin?"

"But why?" Lizzie asked back.

"Because," Sam whispered again, "we shouldn't talk to strangers. Especially strangers with cameras, okay?"

Lizzie nodded and Sam kept her held to his hip while his right hand reclaimed Mercedes' left. They skipped the last few houses and returned to Kurt and Blaine's house.

* * *

><p>Mercedes and Sam apologized for the surveillance that was now happening in front of their house. Blaine and Kurt pardoned it and sat down in the sitting room floor with Lizzie to count and appraise her candy. Meanwhile, Mercedes struck up a conversation with Rachel and Jesse.<p>

"Hey are you two going back to Ohio for Christmas this year?" asked Mercedes.

Jesse immediately answered, "Well, I probably won't be. I was going to visit my parents, but it looks like my role in _Les Mis_ has been sealed so I'll be staying in New York through the holidays."

Rachel pouted and rubbed his shoulder, "Yeah Jesse's been working so hard on this role, but I'll be going back to Lima. My dads would be devastated if I wasn't home for Hannukah, and my audition for the revival of _Wicked_ won't be until after the New Year, so I'm planning to stay through Christmas." She smiled again, "Why do you ask?"

Mercedes smiled as well and passed on the news of her and Sam's twins, and the plans for a Christmastime baby shower. Rachel's jaw slackened a fraction—her head gradually tilted and her eyes were fixed in a wide gaze. She stared at Mercedes as though the black diva had told her she was coming to steal one of her Tonys away.

Sam's once elated expression morphed into confusion. He waved a hand in front of Rachel's face, "Uh…Rachel?"

Jesse nudged her and uttered her name, snapping her out of her momentary lapse into shock. She blinked furiously and then shook her head with an overly sweet smile. "I—sorry, I just…I'm really happy for you two and…" She couldn't fix her gaze on either Evans as her hands busied themselves, tucking back the bright red strands of her wig behind her ear. "Y-yes, I will be at the shower. Excuse me, I have to…bathroom."

Rachel abruptly rose from the sitting room and made quick steps towards the downstairs restroom. Jesse stared awkwardly at the ceiling while Sam and Mercedes looked to one another, lost.

"Okay, what was that about?" Mercedes asked, looking to Kurt for an answer, which he happened to have.

He seemed a bit reluctant to say, but finally he let out a sigh and asked Blaine, "Babe, I think it's time for Lizzie to get some sleep."

Blaine comprehended and stood up from the rug with Lizzie's candy bucket. "Alright Princess, say 'goodnight'."

Though their daughter was pouting again, she rose to her feet and made her rounds about the sitting room, hugging everyone and saying goodnight. She gave Mercedes an especially long hug around her middle and giggled when Sam kissed her on the cheek. Blaine then scooped her up and carried her up the stairs while Jesse stood and quietly told them all, "I'm gonna go check on Rachel."

Kurt nodded and as soon as he was out of sight, he looked to Sam and Mercedes and spoke lowly, "Rachel…I'm sure she saw her life being different than it is now."

Sam's brows furrowed again, "Why? I don't get it: she's a Broadway star. She's got a Tony, and she lives in New York."

"Yeah this is what she's been talking about since we've known her," added an equally confused Mercedes.

"I know," answered Kurt. "But I think she had imagined herself having a family by now too. As much as she tried, it didn't happen with Finn but now he and Quinn are starting a family. And I don't ever hear Jesse bring up the topic of kids, so I just get the feeling she's not as over-the-moon about babies or showers or things like that. But…she does feel a kinship towards Lizzie, and visits her often. You know—both of them being raised by two gay dads and all."

Mercedes grimaced. She spent a moment wondering if it would help or hinder the situation by going to talk to Rachel, one-on-one. On the one hand, she could see how talking to Rachel about children and family could seem like she was unintentionally rubbing salt in Rachel's wound. But on the other hand, she had hoped that she could say something to comfort her friend. Before she could make up her mind however, the downstairs bathroom opened and two pairs of footsteps thudded softly down the short hallway.

Rachel appeared with Jesse coming up behind her. She cast an apologetic smile and softly spoke, "I'm sorry, all of you but especially you Mercedes, and Sam."

Mercedes shook her head, "You don't have to apologize. But…what are you doing tomorrow?"

Rachel shook her head and shrugged, "Free as a bird tomorrow. Why?"

"Sam and I are staying at the Plaza. Wanna meet me there at 1? You can show me a cool vegan spot for lunch. My treat."

Rachel's lips curved into a more genuine smile; she placed both hands to her apron-shielded chest, "I'd love that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>As always, reviews are extremely appreciated! More is coming soon! :)<strong>_


	25. Names & Notions

_**December 21, 2022 **_(Wednesday)

Sam padded down the carpeted stairs of the Jones/Owens estate in Christmas-festive pajama pants and a white thermal top. Ever since Halloween, he had been growing out his sandy blond hair out again, as he often would in wintertime. It now was capable of curling softly over the top of his ears and the nap of his neck, but his recent shower caused it to lay flat and dense against his head.

He let out a yawn as his feet reached the downstairs landing; ignoring the slight watering of his eyes that immediately followed, he glanced around, pondering the whereabouts of his wife. "Mercedes?" he called softly. It was late, and he had a good feeling that his mother-in-law, father-in-law and brother-in-law were already fast asleep in their rooms upstairs. He half-expected for Mercedes to be slumbering when he got out of the shower, but when he'd left the bathroom and returned to her old bedroom where they were sleeping, the room was empty. The sounds of a television from downstairs drew him searching for her there.

As he started towards the dimly-lit living room, he heard a couple of wet sniffs, followed by a soft sigh and a crunch. Sam's brows came together with concern as he rounded the corner and spotted the back of Mercedes' head from over the top of the couch. She was by herself, staring teary-eyed at the wide screen television. Sam gave a fleeting glance at the T.V. as he entered the room, but when he recognized _I Am Sam_, a slight level of relief washed over him. He could at least understand the reason for her tears were due to the movie, and not strictly a hormonal outburst.

"Benz? Baby, why are you watching this movie?" he asked softly.

Mercedes merely sniffled in response while wiping her eyes. She too was dressed in festive nightwear—a long red, green and white, long-sleeved flannel gown that comfortably accommodated her growing belly. Her hair was tucked up under a nightcap with the exception of a few strands that escaped in the front. Sitting in her hands was a small bowl of half-eaten ice cream with pieces of potato chips crushed over the scoops. Tears were streaking down her face, no matter how many times she wiped the back of her hand across her cheek. She glanced over at Sam who took a seat on the couch and draped his arm around her shoulders to pull her close.

"I couldn't help it—it's such a beautiful movie," she finally answered with a slight pout.

Sam chuckled under his breath, "But it always makes you sad." His free hand helped dry her eyes and after wiping her tears on his pajama pants, he spread his long fingers over her bulging tummy. One of their two babes was awake and kicking near his thumb.

Mercedes tilted her head to rest on his shoulder, "I-I know but…it has some really sweet moments too... Like right here when the dad and his friends take Lucy shopping for shoes."

He smiled his signature smile and lowly muttered, "Lucy Diamond Dawson." After musing for a moment, he glanced down at his weepy wife and asked, "Hey, you think we should name our kids after Beatles songs?"

Finally beginning to collect herself again, Mercedes smiled a little, "I don't know. We haven't settled on names yet, have we?"

"Nope. We've talked about it but then we always end up pushing a decision off until later."

Mercedes placed her hand near his while her gaze looked down. Her smile quickly turned back into a frown.

Sam took in her grimacing face and rubbed her shoulder, "Don't worry. I know we've been through baby book after baby book, but I think we've narrowed down some good ideas for names already. I'm sure—"

"No that's not it," Mercedes interrupted, raising her head from his shoulder so she could shake it. Fresh tears began to swell in her eyes.

He kissed her temple. At her most recent doctor's appointment, not only had they discovered the sex of their twins, but the gynecologist told them that as Mercedes' body started to accommodate the twins' growth, her hormones and senses were likely to shift in a more noticeable way. Sam first experienced this, when he suggested they fry fish for dinner one night. She burst into tears, sympathizing for the poor fish that had been caught only to be fried up later. However, she had inexplicably been okay with he scrambled for an alternative to stop her crying and suggested chicken alfredo. This seemed to occur several times throughout the latter half of her second trimester.

A notable change in her senses occurred the day before Thanksgiving. He and Mercedes had flown to Kentucky to spend the holiday with his family, and when they arrived at the estate, they were greeted to the smell of a turkey being smoked out back. The smell of the turkey being smoked repulsed Mercedes to the point where she could not stay at the Evans home like they planned. Guilt-ridden, she and Sam checked into a hotel for their time in Kentucky.

By now, Sam had prepared himself for her irrational bout of tears, and avoided cooking anything on the grill. Mercedes' hormonal imbalance kept him on his toes. As he noticed his wife tearing up again, he reached for the remote to pause the movie before asking, "What's the matter?"

"Sam, I'm a house!" she said with her frown deepening as her fingers plucked a cold potato chip from her bowl.

"You're not a house," he countered while she chewed. When she looked up to him, he cast an assuring smile and murmured, "You're carrying our kids—two of them at once, and you're still beautiful while doing it."

Mercedes' lips quirked into a smile, "You mean that?"

"'Course I do," he replied without hesitation. His hand moved from her belly to cup her cheek and kiss her full on the lips, catching a bit of salt on his own pair. He licked his lips and told her after gently pulling away, "I love you for going through all this like a champ."

Her smile grew a bit and then she lowered her head back to his shoulder while circling her hand along her stomach, "You were right about us needing to choose names for these two. They're gonna be here in a couple months."

"Yeah," Sam said with a yawn.

"We can talk about it tomorrow though, if you're tired."

Sam shrugged, "I thought you were in bed when I got out of the shower. But you weren't, so I came looking for you to make sure you were okay."

Mercedes reached up and tousled his damp hair; she looked up to appraise her playful gesture, only to burst out in laughter. The top of Sam's hair was now sticking up in a disheveled mess while the back still lay flat and damp. One of her hands clutched at her bowl of melting ice cream while her other hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her laughs.

Sam gave her a dead-eyed stare before a devious smirk broke out across his face. He shook his head hard, sending a few flecks of water onto Mercedes' face. After she playfully swatted his arm for it, he beamed a satisfactory grin at her. "That's what you get."

"Yeah, whatever Evans," she teased, wiping her cheek. "Do that again and you'll be licking ice cream off your face like Scooby Doo." While Sam maintained his grin and smoothed out his hair again, Mercedes reached for the remote to turn off the television. "But we probably should go to bed. Stacey, Stevie and your parents will be here tomorrow, along with everyone else."

He heard the slight disdain when she added on 'everyone else' and perceptibly reminded her, "Well, tomorrow is your shower after all."

"_Our_ shower," She corrected. "I didn't want you and the guys running off for a game like you and Mike did for Tina's shower. Plus our moms said it wouldn't be so girly so…it's our shower."

Sam pursed his lips and nodded. For the most part, he'd kept quiet about his feelings regarding the shower, but if he were to speak openly and honestly, he didn't want to go. A shower never sounded like something he should be attending unless it was inside a bathroom with water and Mercedes. But if he were to say this aloud, he would have to hear about it from Mercedes, his mother _and_ Mrs. Owens—whom he still referred to as Ms. Jones, out of habit. So for the sake of not being verbally pulverized, he agreed to come. His saving grace was that Mike, Artie and Joe were all planning to come as well. Kurt and Blaine were coming as well, but he already expected them to be enjoying the shower as much as his women.

Mercedes heaved herself to her feet to put her ice cream bowl in the kitchen.

"I can take that for you," Sam offered but she waved him off.

"I can do it," she insisted.

He hardly pressed the matter further. For one, she was already leaving the living room. And two, he loved watching her go. Sam always had an affinity for her fleshy backside, but as her pregnancy progressed, she developed a bit of a waddle in her step. It not only made her slightly adorable to watch while she walked, but it _always_ drew his eyes to her swaying ass. What made it even more pleasing for him was that he had failed to mention this to Mercedes. Sure, she's known for years that he loved her butt, but he did not tack on his newfound love in her extra sashay.

For a moment, he hadn't even realized that he was biting his lip until he let it go upon her return to the living room.

"I think these two might let me get some sleep tonight. What do you say we go to bed now?" she suggested, completely oblivious to her own alluring swagger.

"Yeah, good idea,' replied Sam, though his thoughts were more like: _Good idea. Let's go to bed and not sleep_. He knew _that_ wasn't happening though; not with his in-law breathing under the same roof. So he rose from the couch, took hold of Mercedes' hand and held it a little tighter than usual, the entire trek back upstairs.

* * *

><p><em><strong>December 22, 2022<strong>_

Sam was the first one in the Jones-Owens house to wake. After slipping on some sweats and a wife beater, he went for a quick jog around the neighborhood, taking in the cool Lima air, and showered again upon his return. In keeping with festive, yet casual theme, he dressed jeans and a red, long-sleeved thermal that hugged his chest and biceps. His duties after breakfast were to help his brother-in-law, Marcus, re-arrange the Christmas decorations to accommodate the ones for the shower, as per Ms. Jones' orders. Soon, the rest of the Evans family arrived and they all exchanged Seasons greetings. Sam's mom then ushered her eldest to the stairs and told him, "All you have to do is keep Mercedes upstairs while we get the food and games ready. And if you need help keeping her busy, I'll send Stace up."

Fortunately for him, that proved to be an easier task than expected. Mercedes hadn't slept through most of the night, and he tried to stay up to keep her company, but ended up falling asleep frequently. When he returned upstairs to fulfill his mother's wishes, he found her still in bed, sleeping with a restless look on her face. The covers were draped from the middle of her thighs, down with her iPad beside her. He noticed her brows twitching as she stirred, moving a hand to rub lazily along her tummy. His slightly concerned gaze morphed into friendly contemplation as he approached the bed. They were both fairly heavy sleepers, but out of the two of them, he was the lighter sleeper—thanks to many years of being dog-piled on in the morning by his younger siblings.

Smiling softly, Sam returned to the bed, walking on his knees as stealthily as he could. To his luck, Mercedes hand had slipped off of her bump but as he started to place his hand on her stomach, his attention was distracted by her tablet. He picked it up, letting his eyes jump around at some of the words on the screen. It looked like she had been reading an article on the names of constellations and stars. Still standing on his knees, Sam scrolled slid his finger down the side, wondering what had brought Mercedes to this page. Soon he became engrossed in the various constellation names that popped out at him—to the point that he hadn't noticed Mercedes awaken.

"See any you like?" she asked.

Sam jumped and involuntarily blushed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

She smiled and softly groaned, "You didn't. These two are having a party in there or something. What time is it?"

He glanced back down at the tablet, "9: 54. My family's here and I'm supposed to keep you hostage until our moms say otherwise."

"Oh…" Mercedes brows furrowed but she shrugged it off and sat up, "Can I at least use the bathroom? With all the partying in here, I think they're determined to turn my bladder into a punching bag."

Sam chuckled, "Yeah, I don't think they meant you had to stay in your room. You're just not supposed to go downstairs yet."

"I can manage that," she said. As she walked around to his side of the bed she stuck out her chin and puckered her lips expectantly.

Sam smirked and leaned in to plant a pop-suckling peck on her pair.

"Good morning by the way," she said before turning to leave.

His gaze lowered to her backside again and then to the tablet. When Mercedes returned, minutes later, he asked, "Hey what were you looking at this article for?"

She knelt down to her duffle bag to lay out her clothes, "You've always had a thing for astronomy. I thought we could find a way to incorporate that in one of the kids' first or middle names."

"Really?" Sam's lips spread into a smile as his heart swelled with flattery. It wasn't something he had thought of before, but he was pleasantly surprised to hear Mercedes considering it.

"Yeah, I mean there's some weird ones out there that I would never put on our babies' birth certificates, but some of them are kinda cool. And some of them, I think we could play around with."

"Like what?"

As Mercedes slowly rose to her feet again she said, "Well…I know that there's Aries, like in the zodiac."

"Yeah, but…Aries was also a god of war and destruction."

Mercedes pursed her lips, "…Sam that's not the same thing. _Ares_, god of war doesn't spell his name the same. And I wasn't even considering it for a boys' name."

Sam arched his brows, "So you wanna name our daughter Aries Evans?"

"_No_, but if you let me finish, I'll tell you," she replied, a little impatiently.

With a pinch of his lips, he nodded, gesturing for her to go on.

"I was playing around with the name Aries earlier, and I thought Ariesa Annette Evans sounded really beautiful. And unique."

"Ariesa?"

She shrugged and nodded with a matter-of-factly tone, "Yeah, Ariesa. Like uh-ree-suh."

Sam mused over the name and smiled, "Kind of sounds like 'Aretha'."

Mercedes tilted her head a fraction and giggled softly, "You know I hadn't even thought of that."

"Surrre you didn't," he teased, to which she quickly protested.

"I didn't! Honest!"

Sam chuckled, "I believe you—I was just giving you a hard time."

As Mercedes shook her head at him, he said the name over in his head a few times, "I like it."

Mercedes was beaming now. After months of mulling over name after name after name, they had finally agreed on a full name for their baby girl. Now if they could pass the hurdle of coming up with a name for their son, they'd be one step closer in their baby preparations. Her smile faltered to curiosity however, when Sam pulled her out of her private reverie.

"And I think…" he started to smile again while his eyes were on her iPad, "I think we have our theme for the nursery back home." He glanced up and watched the realization spread across his wife's face.

"Outer space?" she guessed with a hopeful smile.

With one nod and a lasting smile, Sam said, "Yes. It's gender neutral and it's something I could manage painting without making it look like a five year-old did the job."

Her hopeful smile spread into a toothy grin, "You're a great painter, Honey. My St. Valentine's Day statue has survived all these years at least, and the canvases in your office are some of my favorites." Setting her sweater and jeans down on the foot of the bed, she neared him again and curled her arms around his middle, looking up into his green eyes, "Outer space it is. And while you're stuck up here with me, maybe after I get ready for the day, we'll have our son's name decided on before the shower starts? That way we can finally tell everyone today."

Sam freed his hands from the tablet and cupped either side of her face. After kissing her forehead, nose and finally her lips he muttered, "I love your plan."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! A drabble chapter of the shower &amp; Christmas are next, followed by a special celebrity interview for Mercedes in Chapter 27. Any guesses as to who will be interviewing our lovely songstress? Let me know what you think! :)<strong>_


	26. Names & Games

_**December 22, 2022**_ (continued)

Mercedes showered and dressed in a fitted pair of maternity-friendly skinny jeans and pea green tunic sweater. Not having the patience to do anything fancy with her weave, she simply touched it up with a flat iron and drew it all back into a low ponytail. After applying some natural tones of makeup, she rejoined her husband in her old bedroom.

When she entered the room, Sam was sitting on the bed with the tablet back in his hands. He appeared to be concentrating very hard on the screen as his finger slide slowly up it. Mercedes smiled and took a seat on the edge beside him. "What's so fascinating?"

Without taking his eyes off the screen, he titled the iPad so she could see the screen. "I'm looking at boys' names, like we discussed. Since you tied my love of astronomy into our daughter's name, I was trying to see if I could do something like that for our son."

She smiled softly, "Oh? Any winners yet?"

"Well…unless you want to name our son Whitney or Mariah," he joked. After catching a glance at Mercedes' deflated expression he chuckled, "I'm kidding. After all these years I'd like to think I know more about you than that."

"So," she nestled up to his side and when his arm came around her she asked, "What else do you know that could relate to a name for our son?"

As though he already knew this question was coming, he swapped the windows on the iPad, presenting a new tab that had a list of artists' names and movie titles, as well as names of their family members. He let Mercedes look it over as he said, "Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Luther Vandross are your favorite male artists…next to me of course." He grinned jokingly and Mercedes knowingly grinned back at him.

"Oh of course."

After another light chuckle he went on, "_Porgy and Bess_, _Hairspray, West Side Story _and _Dreamgirls_ are your favorite musicals, and _I Am Sam_ and _The Count of Monte Cristo_ are two of your favorite movies. So I took different names from those and played around with them with our family's names too."

His finger scrolled a little further to show her a shorter list of possible baby names, based off of what he'd said.

"Edmond Evans?" Mercedes said aloud. She looked skeptically to her husband, "You really like that?"

He shrugged back, "It's not terrible."

She pursed her lips though a vague smile appeared as she kept reading the names. "Dante Jeremy…I really like that one."

"That one and Michael Jeremy were my favorites. But I thought Mike's head would turn into a balloon if we picked that one."

She snorted a giggle, "But at least we could nickname our son 'MJ'. That'd be kinda cute. MJ Evans."

"DJ Evans sounds pretty boss though," noted Sam.

"You got Dante from Dantes, right?"

He smiled crookedly, "Yeah. Dantes for a first name sounded kinda weird so I dropped the 's'."

Mercedes mused for a moment, "Ariesa and Dante…Dante and Ariesa…Michael and Ariesa…Ariesa and Michael…" She glanced at Sam as his arm came from around her and he set the tablet down. His hands came over her stomach and he bent his face over the middle of her belly.

"Alright you two, it's time for an Evans family vote. Kick once for Dante and twice for Michael."

Unable to help herself, Mercedes laughed heartily at him, "You're a trip!"

"Don't knock it 'til you try it, Baby. You feel that? I got a kick."

Gradually calming down from her laughs, Mercedes asked, "What if that was Ariesa? She gets to pick her brother's name?"

"Hey, I gave them both a fair chance to vote so if he didn't vote on his name—"

"Then we know who's gonna be the bossier of the two," she finished with a soft grin.

Sam kissed her tummy before lying back against the pillows again, "Well at least we have a name."

"You really want to go with Dante Jeremy?" Mercedes asked, smiling but with raised brows.

He shrugged and smirked, "Yeah, why not? We both like it, and one of them likes it too so…"

Mercedes leaned back into his side, stifling a yawn, "Dante Jeremy and Ariesa Annette…I love it. And hey, we'll be able to end everyone's wondering about their names so that's good too."

"Yeah." Studying her face, Sam kissed her forehead and asked, "You gonna go back to sleep?"

"Probably…if you stay put and another party doesn't start in my uterus."

He chuckled softly, "I can talk to them if you want, or sing to them…apparently they're already listening to their daddy."

Mercedes closed her eyes but smiled when he said, 'daddy'. She lolled her head to his chest, "Sing something. I love when you sing, and they do too."

Sam spent a moment, thinking of a song to sing a'capella. When one in particular came to mind he said, "Alright I wish I had my guitar for this but, here goes."

He tilted his head toward his wife while softly singing at a down-tempo, "_I wanna love ya…and treat you right. I wanna love ya, everyday and every night. We'll be together…with a roof right over our heads. We'll share the shelter, of my single bed. We'll share the same room_…" he'd forgotten the next lyrics so he hummed through them, causing Mercedes to giggle sleepily at him as he went on to the chorus.

"_Is this love, is this love, is this love, is this love that I'm feelin'?_" He kissed her temple, "_Is this love, is this love, is this love that I'm feelin'? I wanna know, wanna know, wanna know now…I got to know, got to know, got to know now_…"

Softly he said, the long, "_Iiiii, I'm willing and able…so I, throw my cards on your table. I wanna love ya, I wanna love and treat you—love and treat you right. I wanna love you every day and every night_…"

Sam sang on through the end of the song, even repeating a few parts here and there but by the time he'd finished, Mercedes had fallen asleep again. He kept close to her, relaxing while quietly humming the Bob Marley hit to himself.

* * *

><p>The shower eased into commencement sometime in the early afternoon. In addition to the Jones-Owens and Evans families, the interior of the large Jones-Owens estate was occupied by Mike, Tina and their children, Kurt, Blaine and Lizzie, Burt and Carole Hummel, Brittany and Santana, Artie, Joe, Rachel, and—to nearly everyone's surprise—Finn, Quinn and their newborn daughter, Sophia. Mercedes' mother, Viola, sent them an invitation in Chicago, but after the birth of their daughter, it was assumed that they would not be coming. Finn and Quinn explained that they wouldn't want Sophia to have her first Christmas without her grandparents.<p>

Upon their arrival, much of the women's attention went to fragile Sophia, Mercedes included. She gushed over the tiny babe, commenting profusely on her plump, rosy cheeks and how utterly adorable she was. Eventually, Viola Jones-Owens and Mary Evans rounded everyone up for a game. Sam and Mike, Finn and Joe, Marcus and Artie, Burt Hummel and Stevie, and the future grandfathers, Dwight Evans and Jeremy Owens were paired up for the game. Sam, Finn, Marcus, Burt and Mr. Evans were each blindfolded and positioned at one end of the room with baby dolls in their arms, while their game partners were at the other end of the room, behind a long table. Marcus and Sam had their dolls tucked under their arms like footballs while Finn, Burt and Mr. Evans held theirs expertly in their hands. The girls giggled and snapped photos on their phones as Mike, Joe, Artie and Dr. Owens verbally instructed the blindfolded quartet across the room with the dolls.

Once they reached their partners reached the tables, the foursome behind the table had to instruct their partner through a diaper-changing process. Marcus had tripped over Brittany's feet, sending Kurt, Blaine and the kids into a fit of laughs as he was heckled by Artie to find his kid and get up. Quinn, Ms. Jones and Tina were laughing as Finn started changing the wrong end of his doll. Blaine called out foul play on Stevie whose fingers slipped onto the table to help Burt. Mercedes and Mrs. Evans cheered on Sam, who seemed to be tying for a victory with his dad.

"Done!" Dwight Evans announced, shooting his arm in the air with his diaper-clad doll clutched in his hand.

Sam pulled his blindfold off to check his own handy work while Marcus was reprimanded by his mother for cursing. The audience of guests clapped and cheered for the winners. Dwight and Jeremy grinned at one another and clasped hands, acknowledging their victory. Their wives gave each of them a tin of Mrs. Evans snickerdoodle cookies as a prize.

The tables were turned when the girls were coaxed into the next game of being blindfolded and attempting to identify various jars of baby food. Lizzie and Little Mikey helped out the two grandmothers-to-be with passing out the jars to the girls. Mikey sniffed one of the jars and shrieked, "Ew this stinks!"

The men roared with laughter as all the girls grew visibly uncomfortable with anticipation for whatever jar the young boy was wielding. The only one to steel themselves for the mystery jar was Santana. Mercedes and Quinn gagged on the spoonful that entered their mouths.

"What the hell is that?" Mercedes demanded, prompting more laughs from the men.

"That smells gross!" added Quinn.

"That wasn't meat was it? Because you know I'm a vegan, right?" commented Rachel.

Viola and Mary apologized to Rachel, and she politely removed herself from the game to rinse her mouth out.

"Oh come on," appeased Tina, "Pureed ham isn't _that_ bad."

"Is that what that is?" Brittany asked. "I thought it tasted like catnip."

Tina's brows furrowed, "Britt, no one's gonna feed us catnip."

"Tina, you're not supposed to say your guesses aloud," reminded Stacey.

"Oops! Sorry!"

"F.Y.I.," Mercedes cut in, "My gag reflex is up these days so keep talking about catnip and liquid ham, girls. Seriously."

"There are _so _many things I could say to that gag reflex comment," Artie jokingly muttered with a nudge at Joe's side. Joe stared at him blankly and then shook his head, turning his attention back to the game.

After getting through ten different jars, Tina beat out the girls by one guess—Carole Hummel guessed the second-closest. When the girls lifted their blindfolds, and adjusted their vision, they caught the men all staring at different cell phones and laughing.

"Were you guys taking pictures of us the whole time?" Quinn suspiciously asked.

"Of course they were," Rachel answered before any of the men had a chance.

As Mrs. Evans awarded Tina with peppermint bath salts, Mercedes narrowed her eyes, "If any of those gets tweeted out, I swear I'm gonna put the hurt on every last one of you."

"Yeah right, Mercedes," scoffed her brother. "You wouldn't _touch_ Pops or Mr. Evans."

"That's because Dad and Mr. Evans don't use Twitter," she retorted smartly.

Dr. Owens smirked, "She's got a point there, Marcus."

Her brother shook his head while Viola Owens and Mary Evans moved on to the next game. Everyone was giving slips of paper and were told that they had three minutes to come up with as many boy and girls' names as possible, using the letters from Sam and Mercedes' first names. As soon as a timer was set, everyone went to work, scribbling down possible names. Lizzie and Little Mikey both insisted on papers and pencils so that they could play too, but the two ended up competing with each other on who could write out most of the alphabet first.

When the timer buzzed, Rachel, Artie and Sam had come up with the most names. They took turns reading off their list of names while the others in the rooms acted as judges to decide which ones were worth keeping and which names sounded too farfetched. In the end, Rachel was deemed the winner and awarded a silver picture frame as a prize, while Sam and Artie were given Christmas tins full of cookies for being the runners-up.

When Viola went to retrieve a cake from the kitchen fridge, Mary took a seat in one of the vacant chairs and asked, "Speaking of names—Samuel, Mercedes have you two decided on names for your little ones?"

Sam and Mercedes were sharing one of the living room's two love seats and previously watching as Stacey and Joe helped move their plethora of gifts closer to them. The two looked to Mrs. Evans though and smiled, "Yes,' they answered almost simultaneously.

Tina happily gasped while Kurt sat up a little straighter than before.

"Sooo, tell us," he urged in sing-song voice.

Sam looked to Mercedes and she smiled back to him; as his mother-in-law returned to the room with the cake, he said, "Well, for our girl we decided on Ariesa Annette Evans."

All of the girls, plus Kurt and Blaine "aw"ed at the name. Sam's mother pressed both hands to her chest, visibly touched that her middle name was being passed on to her first granddaughter. The guys wore smiles of varying sizes and a few of them nodded approvingly.

"And for our little boy," said Mercedes, "we're naming him Dante Jeremy Evans."

The singer stole a glance at her father and smiled a bit wider at the soft smile he now wore. As Quinn kindly burped her newborn, she smiled to the expecting couple and told them, "Those are really nice names you guys."

"Yeah and just so you two know, I'll be calling 'em 'DJ' and 'Reese'," Marcus said with a grin.

A few around the room chuckled but Viola pursed her lips at her son, "My grandbaby is not a peanut butter cup, Marcus."

"I know that Mama," he said, maintaining a shameless grin, "But my niecey is Reese."

The whole room filled with chuckles and giggles at that but Viola merely smiled and waved him off as she told everyone she'd be cutting some cake while Sam and Mercedes opened gifts. Mary retrieved a fresh paper and pen to scribe the gifts and who sent each of them, and Stevie and Stacey positioned themselves as photographers—along with several other shower attendees.

Sam and Mercedes alternated opening gift after gift; most of what they had received were clothes and bath items. Mike decided that Sam's kids would have to be 49ers fans, so he got them several sets of 9er gear; Tina balanced it out with some colorful outfits from her boutique.

Kurt and Blaine had picked out the most fashionable infant wear that New York had to offer, while Marcus, Stevie and Stacey opted on onesies and shirts with sassy phrases like: "My uncle spoils me", "Center of attention", and "I'm Daddy's favorite".

Santana and Brittany put together a basket of bath products with zoo animal-themed towels. Inside the card that came with it, Santana included a handmade coupon for, "_A lifetime supply of chapstick from Auntie Tana_." Sam pursed his lips at her and she merely shrugged and smirked back, "Your kids will thank me one day, Trouty."

Another basket full of bubble bath, bath salts, bath oils and candles wrapped in cellophane were marked in Quinn's handwriting from her and Finn.

"That's for you two," Quinn informed them with a soft smile as she rubbed her daughter's back. "And when Sophia gets too big for her clothes, we'll be happy to pass them on to Ariesa if you guys want them."

Mercedes blew a kiss to her blonde bestie and thanked her and Finn before going on to the next gift. Burt and Carole had given them an envelope with a receipt for two airline tickets enclosed. Sam and Mercedes both stared in confusion at the Hummel couple.

"Well, we both know that sometimes raising kids can be a little overwhelming, and with you two being out in California…" Carole trailed off on her explanation but Burt picked up the slack.

"We bought the tickets for ourselves to come out and visit. We'd done this for Kurt and Blaine, and now Finn and Quinn have one too. Anytime you kids need a little break, give us a call and we'll fly out there for a few days."

Mercedes smiled and pushed herself up off the couch, stepping over the remaining gifts to hug and thank Finn and Kurt's parents. Sam followed after her to do the same. Dwight and Mary also quietly thanked Burt and Carole—to this day they'd remained grateful friends to the couple for allowing Sam to live with them for the remainder of his senior year.

Once the cake slices had been distributed and all the gifts had been opened, Mercedes spoke up, claiming everyone's attention.

"I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone, on Sam and my behalf—not only for coming today but for being an important part of our lives, and our kids'. Mom and Mrs. Evans, thank you for putting this shower together for us. And to all our friends just…" her emotions got the better of her and she began to tear up, "I love you all, and I know Ariesa and Dante are gonna have the best role models to look up to, in all of you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>I decided to skip writing about Christmas since this chapter ended up being longer than I'd planned. Next chapter will be Mercedes' interview on a talk show! :) Please leave reviews! Any guesses as to who the talk show hosthostess will be? Let me know!**_

*Song lyrics mentioned in this chapter: "Is This Love" by Bob Marley


	27. LaughDanceLove

_**January 6, 2023**_ (Friday)

Mercedes slid her key into the hole of hers and Sam's condo. She'd spent a long day in Burbank, going from interview to interview over her new single. And while she hadn't minded answering the questions for various magazine companies, or sitting in a DJ's studio for a radio interview, she really was looking forward to coming home and relaxing. Her doctor-mandated bed rest was to begin from that weekend until the twins were born.

She twisted open the front door handle, only to be greeted by the sounds of Ginuwine's "Pony" blaring from the kitchen. Brows furrowed, Mercedes quietly shut the front door, slipped her purse strap from her shoulder to her elbow and walked over to the kitchen entry. Amusement colored her face as she saw Sam dancing determinedly to the 90's sex anthem. He stood in the middle of their kitchen in sweats, a V-neck and a waist apron, singing the chorus into a marinara-covered wooden spoon.

Mercedes closed her hands around her keys to prevent them giving her away as she watched her husband roll his chiseled torso and bend his knees to thrust his pelvis at the air. It was taking everything Mercedes had not to make her presence known, but as amusing as he was, she couldn't help feeling a little bit aroused by his fluid, yet aggressive moves. Her lips parted and spread into a grin that matched her feelings; the smile only grew when Sam attempted Michael Jackson's triple spin and caught sight of Mercedes, mid-spin.

He jumped, "Mercedes!" And after slamming the spoon back down on the stove beside his pot of spaghetti, he pretended to collect himself. "Hiii baby. Um, I was just…" He fumbled to cut the music but Mercedes just laughed.

"Just getting your freak on in the kitchen without me?" she suggested with an amused smirk, entering the kitchen to approach him.

He tried to play it off as if he weren't the least bit embarrassed, but his face was nearly as red as the sauce on his spoon now. With his wife standing under his nose, he knew she didn't buy his collected façade because she'd risen to her toes, kissed the corner of his lips and said, "It was funny and cute and all sorts of sexy. But you really shouldn't entertain and arouse me at the same time while I'm so damn fertile, Honey. It's cruel."

Sam's tucked in lips reappeared as he licked them and smirked, "I can't help my magical sex hips sometimes though."

"Who are you tellin'? Ahem!" Mercedes pointed to her stomach—the only thing keeping them from being as physically close as they used to be.

He followed her gaze and point and then looked back to her face. In a sultry tone he murmured, "I regret nothing."

Mercedes couldn't help her grin or her urge to roll her eyes. He pecked her lips, causing a light, "pop" sound when his lips left hers. As she moseyed over to the stove to inhale the inviting smells of rosemary and oregano, she made another suggestion, "How about you set us up a plate of that bomb-smelling spaghetti of yours, and we can watch my interview on _Ellen_?"

"As always, you come up with some great plans, Benz," he said half serious and half teasing. As he went to one of the overhead cabinets to take out a couple plates, Mercedes wandered back out of the kitchen to tend to the living room television.

"How did the painting go today, Honey?"

"Good," Sam replied, dishing out a heaping amount of pasta onto one plate. "It's actually done if you wanna see it later. It just needs to dry and then I can put the cribs and stuff back in."

Mercedes smiled as she eased herself onto one of the couches. It had become a second-nature habit for to rub her stomach now, whether the twins were kicking away or hardly at all. She hummed softly as she scrolled through the list of recorded programs she and Sam had saved. After finding her recently taped episode she pressed, "Play."

With impeccable timing, Sam joined her in the living room and sat down beside Mercedes, handing her a steaming plate of spaghetti with apple slices on the side.

The two ate their dinner while watching Ellen go through her routine of starting her show. Soon after came Mercedes' interview.

* * *

><p>"Our next guest is a singer and songwriter. Last year she won her first Grammy for her song, "Here For You" and today she debuts her new single "Love Journey". Please welcome, Mercedes Jones!"<p>

The audience clapped and cheered while her first hit single, "Hell to the No" played for her introduction. Mercedes emerged from backstage in grey, flat-soled ankle boots, black leggings and a red and grey baby doll blouse that draped over her ballooning tummy. She hadn't danced much on her way out, but she did playfully circle her fists to the beat while mouthing along to the "_Whoa-oh, oh!_" When she got close to Ellen, she and the T.V. legend hip-bumped a couple of times to the music and then hugged before taking their seats.

As the audience settled down, Ellen cheerfully said, "Hi!"

"Hi Ellen! Happy New Year!" Mercedes said back, smiling incessantly.

"Happy New Year! It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"It has," agreed Mercedes, "I don't think I've been here since…"

"Since your second album, _One Voice_."

Mercedes gasped, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm very serious," Ellen stoically replied.

The audience chuckled and Mercedes giggled before she sassily told her, "I need to get my butt over here more often. I've been so busy."

"So it seems," Ellen unabashedly said, causing the singer and the audience to laugh. But Ellen went on as though she hadn't inferred a thing. "Yeah, you released your fourth album in 2021, won yourself a Grammy for "Here For You", which I just love that song by the way—it's beautiful. And you've been singing at the VMAs, and now you've got a new single coming out today."

"Yesss, I'm really excited for everyone to hear this. It took longer to get it finished and released than I'd planned but I'm really proud of it and I'm glad I'm here today to talk to you before it comes out. I'd started writing it last summer when I first got inspired to write it, so it's nice that the debut is finally here." Ellen started to say something else but Mercedes interrupted as she realized, "It really has been a long time since I've been here! My husband's been here more times than me, hasn't he?" she asked, sounding a little guilty.

"Uhh, I think—yes he's been here a couple of times…Yeah he's been on here twice, because I had him here after we did _Finding Nemo 2 _together, and then I invited him back when he was up for an Oscar for the last_ Avatar_ movie." As she confirmed this, a candid photo of Sam appeared for the crowd to see. A large, "Woooo!" broke out among the audience from the photo of him jogging along Venice Beach in gym shorts, a baseball cap and no shirt.

Their reaction to the photo made Mercedes' grin soften as she shook her head.

"You got a good-looking man, right there," Ellen commented.

"Damn straight," Mercedes agreed without hesitation—her smile never leaving her face. "Never lettin' him go."

"And you two just got married this past year, right?"

"Yes ma'am, just this past June we had a small, Southern Glam ceremony." She looked away from Ellen as the audience broke out in a chorus of "Awww"s, followed by more applause. On the monitor ahead and the projection screen behind her, the photo of Sam jogging was replaced with one from their wedding day. Sam was slightly hunched into her with his arms around her middle and she was leaning back into him with her hands on her bouquet; with their heads turned, both were beaming blissful smiles as they looked at the camera.

"Congratulations!" Ellen said over the fading applause. "How's he doing?"

Mercedes tucked her hair behind her ear as she said, "He's doin' good. He's working hard; still making music and voice acting. Still being the silly, wonderful, southern gentleman that he is."

"Aw that's sweet. Well congratulations to both of you—you two are an adorable couple and I wish you both the best. And…" she tilted her head while staring pointedly at Mercedes' stomach, "Is there anything else I should be congratulating you on?"

The audience giggled in near-unison with the singer. "Yeees, I decided to wait until this very day and moment to confirm to the world that _yes_, I'm expecting." The audience clapped, whooped and laughed for her as she nodded and said over the noise to Ellen, "Yes, I swear I haven't been practicing all these months with one of those pad-things—this is the real deal. And I'm about to go on bed rest so, I thought it was time to let the cat out of the bag."

"Aw well congratulations. You know, I prepared myself for this exact moment—if you were actually pregnant and all."

Mercedes giggled, "Did you?"

"I did, I got your little guy or gal a gift but first I have to ask…boy or girl?"

The singer raised her brows—her smile growing into a grin that showed nearly all of her teeth, "Actually…" she clenched her fists gleefully, "both?"

More cheers erupted from the audience at that. Mercedes blushed—Ellen truly did have the nicest audience of any talk show she'd ever been on.

Ellen chuckled now, "You didn't sound sure of yourself there. 'Both?'" she mocked, causing the singer and the audience to laugh again. "Now you're sure it's twins right?"

"Yes!" Mercedes, "We're absolutely positive it's twins."

"Two boys? Two girls?"

"One of each."

The T.V. hostess grinned, "Perfect! Since I didn't know what you were having, or that you were even having twins, I happen to have one of each of my gift, and I have something for you and Sam."

One of her staff members came running out with a large gift bag with the signature "ellen" logo on side. Ellen reached inside and pulled out two onesies—one was pink and the other was blue and on the front of both, it read, "I love my Auntie Ellen."

Mercedes started to croon, "Awww," with the audience but she quickly burst into laughter when Ellen turned the onesies around to show that Ellen's face had been pressed on the backs.

Ellen draped the onesies over her leg, "I didn't forget about you and your husband either." This time when she reached in the bag, her hands were gripping two adult-sized onesies, identical to the infant ones. Mercedes cupped a hand to her mouth while her other hand held her stomach. She leaned forward in a belly-jiggling laugh as the audience whooped, laughed and clapped some more. When the singer was finally able to speak again, she slid her index fingers under her eyes to catch tears and said, "Thank you Auntie Ellen."

Ellen grinned and said to the cameras, "We'll be right back."

As the commercial tunes and applause started up, Mercedes rose up from her chair to hug Ellen and thank her again for the ridiculous but funny gifts.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! What did you think? I'm always interested to know. More is coming!<strong>_


	28. The Power of Al Green

_**February 16, 2023**_ (Thursday)

"Do you have any 5's?"

"Sorry baby. Go fish."

Mercedes let out an audible sigh as she drew from the pile of playing cards. As Sam started to ask her if she had any queens, she threw her hand of cards down on the bed and let herself fall back against the mound of pillows behind her.

Sam took in her exasperated expression as he sat cross-legged at the end of the bed. "Are you okay?"

The singer shook her head against the pillows, "This bed rest is making me slowly go insane. For real—I heard about girls getting tired of being pregnant towards the end but now I actually know what they mean. I can't go anywhere. My manager's already agreed to 'run interference with the media on anything that might 'stress me out', my stomach's blowing up like a balloon in the Macy's Day parade, my back hurts if I stand too long, and Valentine's Day was really fun—I loved the dinner you made, but…" she took a deep breath and finished with a pout, "…it's really boring here when you're gone."

Sam's lips tugged up in a slight smirk, "Is that your way of telling me you miss me?"

"Hell yeah, it is!" she replied sassily, still grimacing at him.

He rubbed her leg affectionately, "You're almost back to home plate, Benz. And with the first season of X-men wrapped up, I'll be around a lot more now."

"Great," she replied sarcastically. "Now you'll get to be bored _with_ me until our babies get here."

"What—are you serious?" Sam replied with a growing smile. "Hardly a dull moment when you and I are together."

He winked and rolled off the bed in one, agile motion. He relished in amusement at the suspicious gaze Mercedes was now giving him while he walked around to her side of the bed and stared thoughtfully.

"What are you doing, Sam?" she asked, sounding like she didn't have the energy to indulge him.

He didn't answer as he turned and waltzed out of the room, leaving Mercedes feeling slightly dumbfounded. She let out another sigh, listening to his footsteps hurriedly fade down the hallway, and sat up again to gather up the cards from the bed. As she did so, she heard a thudding noise, followed by her husband hissing an expletive.

Her brows came together, "Sam?"

"I'm fine!" he quickly called back. Soon, he returned to the room, greeted by the suspicious scowl on his wife's face. He smirked, approaching the bed with his hand extending out to her.

Her suspicion dropped purely to a frown as she asked, "Where are we going?"

"Just come with me. You're not gonna regret it—I promise."

Mercedes pursed her lips. Eventually though, she stretched her hand out and accepted his help to sit up from all the squishy pillows and scoot to the edge of the bed until her toes touched the carpet. Her free hand rested on the top of her large tummy while her other hand remained in Sam's on the way out of the bedroom.

He led her to their living room and let go of her hand once she'd passed through the threshold.

"Sam, _what_ are you doing?" she asked again with a little more sharpness in her voice this time. Right away, her eyes took in the change in the living room furniture. The two lazy chairs were pushed towards the wall and the coffee table was flipped up onto one of the couches.

He didn't answer her question. With his back to her now, he had wandered over to their entertainment center beneath the living room television and crouched in front of the stereo. His hands moved about the various buttons and knobs until he found what he was looking for. Sam stood to his full six-one height again as the surrounding speakers filled with the introduction to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together".

Sam turned around to see Mercedes finally smiling at him. Her head tilted to one side while letting soft giggles pass through her lips. He watched her grin at him as he came back to her with his hips swaying to the beat. When the lyrics came in, he lip-synched along, causing her to giggle again.

She pressed a few fingers over her mouth, feebly covering up her growing, appreciative smile. He sidled up to her, placing a hand on her hip while the fingers of his free hand intertwined with hers. She felt his hand on her hip grip her gently, guiding her further into their living room-turned-dance space. There was no way for her not to give in to his silliness because she'd also found it cute. And surely enough, he was right—she didn't regret leaving their bedroom to do this.

"Babe, I love this," Mercedes softly told him.

"_Youuu make me feel so brand neewww…and IIII wanna spend my life with youuu_…" Sam sang aloud to her with a smile.

Unable to resist, Mercedes looked in his eyes and sang too, bringing herself as close to him as her tummy would allow. "_Since…since we've been together, lovin' you forever, is what I neeeeeed_…"

"_Let me be the one you come runnin' toooo... I'll never be un-truuue_..."

Mercedes shook her head, smiling still as she sang through the chorus but Sam joined her during, "_Whether times are good or bad—happy or sad_..."

They kept swaying in unison to the music—Sam held her close and kissed the top of Mercedes head as she rested her cheek against his chest. As the song faded and transitioned to another Al Green number, "I Can't Get Next To You" Mercedes let out a blunt chuckle and shook her head, "How ironic."

Sam's brows came together, "Huh?"

With dry amusement, she let go of his hand to point to her stomach, "'I Can't Get Next To You'?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm pretty sure I _can_ get next to you," Sam appeased with a light-hearted chuckle. "If I couldn't, I wouldn't be able to do this…"

Sam removed his hands from around her and gingerly cupped her cheeks. He bent his face to hers and kissed her. Her felt her fingertips touch his elbows as she kissed him back, but her lips suddenly went still against his—her hands clutched at the bend of his limbs and she gasped.

"What? What is it?" he asked, as she pulled away.

Although she couldn't see past her belly, Mercedes looked down, panicked, "My water just broke!"

"WHAT?" Sam said, a little louder than intended. He took a step back from his wife and watched her pajama pants quickly begin to darken. His eyes widened as though a flower were beginning to blossom out of the fabric.

"Oh my God—this is it! We need to get to the hospital," Mercedes urgently stated.

Sam did not reply. His eyes were fixated on her dampening pajama pants.

Mercedes reached up to give his shoulder one, hard shake, "Sam!"

"What!" he accidentally hollered back. "Sorry."

Mercedes glared, "We _need_ to get to the hospital. Now! And you need to call Dr. Bourdon."

"Right!" he said, steeling himself. Without further discussion, he bolted out of the room, back towards their bedroom, leaving Mercedes standing there.

"What the—where are you going?" she called after him, toddling out of the room as well.

"To get the bags ready," he replied. "We haven't done that yet! God, we're not even ready!"

"I know, but we'll get there! And at least we got _their_ outfits ready to go." She slipped into the nursery to grab said outfits and carried them with her across the hall to their bedroom.

Mercedes entered the room, coming to a halt as she watched Sam dart out of their closet with his arms full of clothes. She slipped her thumbs under the elastic waistline of her pants but paused when her eye caught a glimpse of what Sam was about to shove into a suitcase.

"Uh-uh! I am _not_ wearing sweat pants for our homecoming. I have my purple dress picked out for that."

"But it's February!"

"And? We live in Beverly Hills. I'm wearing that dress when we come home with our babies."

Unable to see the logic, but lacking the attention span to argue further, Sam snatched the sweats from the pile, handed the Ed Hardy sweats to Mercedes, and sprinted back to the closet. This time he emerged with a purple poplin notch dress with a wide, leopard print belt hooked on the hanger. "This one?"

"You know it," she sassed, entering the closet and emerging with a large shirt to also change into. She waddled to their bathroom and said, "Don't forget to call the doctor!"

"I won't!" Sam replied, already having forgotten. After speed-dialing the gynecologist on his cell phone, he went back to stuffing clothes for him and Mercedes into the suitcase. By the time he'd finished the call and had their bag packed, Mercedes had come out of the bathroom, searching for her Vans slip-ons.

"Benz, I spoke to Doctor B—" He paused, raising his brows in slight amusement. "You put on make-up?"

"Yes," she replied indignantly while grabbing her purse. "You must be out your mind if you think I was gonna leave this house without makeup." She shook her head at him while waddling out of the room.

Still slightly amused, Sam shook his head at her and slipped his feet into some Vans of his own, "I should've known better." He picked up the suitcase, along with his phone, keys and wallet and followed Mercedes out, smiling to himself. The next time they returned home, it would be with their son and daughter.

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More is coming soon!<strong>_


	29. Perfection, Defined

_**February 16, 2023**_ (continued)

Mercedes lay flat on her back with half of her body numbed and shielded by a thin, blue curtain. She took a deep, anxious breath and let it out while staring up at the ceiling. Beside her, Sam was sitting down, covered from head-to-toe in hospital scrubs. His right hand was clasped to her left as her doctor and his small team of nurses began the cesarean procedure. She listened to the low buzzing and beeping of the monitors while Dr. Bourdon voiced his actions. Two emotions were building strong inside her mind—fear and joy. More than anything through the majority of this pregnancy, she had been anxious to know what hers and Sam's children were going to look like. What were their eyes going to look like? Would Dante inherit Sam's adorable crooked smile? Was Ariesa going to have her button nose? Now, in a matter of minutes, she was finally going to get her answers.

Sam pulled her out of her thoughts when he gave her hand a firm squeeze. From behind his mask he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Really nervous…Excited…And happy. But mostly excited." She smiled, "Did I mention excited?"

He chuckled softly; even with half his face covered, she had his smile committed to memory and the crinkle around his eyes told her that that was exactly what he was doing.

"Keep talking to me, Sam," she requested in a low voice. "I'm gonna work myself up if all I do is try and count the dots on the ceiling."

Another muffled chuckle left him, "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. Anything. Do one of your impressions for me."

She watched him stare at the ceiling, thinking over a response to what she said. After a moment, he shut his eyes, channeled James Earl Jones and opened his eyes to tell quietly her, "My wife's about to become a MILF."

Anesthetics or not, Mercedes' eyes popped open. "Sam!"

"What! It's true!" he shamelessly replied.

Her cheeks burned as she asked him, "Were you talking to Puck recently?"

Before he could answer, Dr. Bourdon spoke up, "Alright Mercedes, Sam, we're getting ready to deliver the first one. Mercedes, just so you know, you might feel a little pressure."

"Okay," Mercedes responded with a nod that the doctor couldn't see. She bit down on her lip and glanced at Sam as he rose from his chair—keeping his hand in hers—to have a look. She kept her eyes on his, watching them narrow a fraction into a fixed gaze. As his eyes started to widen however, she felt the pressure her doctor warned her about. It was as if someone was pressing a hand to push her stomach away from her chest. It wasn't painful, but it was uncomfortable enough to cause her lips to soundlessly part.

She brought her eyes back to Sam at the same moment a shrill cry overtook all other sounds. Mercedes' lips immediately formed a smile; she kept her eyes fixated on Sam's glistening pair as her only means of seeing her firstborn for the time being. He hadn't shifted his gaze once, even after Dr. Bourdon told them, "Alright we have the boy out. Time to get his sister."

"Oh my God…" Mercedes softly breathed blissfully as her eyes started to mist. She started to ask Sam what their son, Dante, looked like, but Dr. Bourdon held him up for a brief moment, supporting him under his chin and under his rear, before lowering him back out of Mercedes' view. It was only a short moment, but she pressed her mind to never forget his scrunched up eyes or his tiny, walnut-shaped mouth as he cried out.

"Do you wanna cut the cord, Daddy?" one of the nurses asked, looking to Sam.

Sam's hand squeezed Mercedes' and she returned it before he let go to cut the first umbilical cord. Dante was still crying out when Sam approached. His skin was entirely dark pink and all of his miniature fingers were curled into tiny fists as he cringed and fussed. Sam gazed in awe and adoration at his firstborn—from his dark honey-brown wisps of hair, right down to his little golf ball toes.

As the nurse handed him the scissors after she clamped the cord, she instructed him where to cut. Sam's hands trembled but he forced himself to steady them enough to make the cut. Immediately after, he looked to the nurse for approval and she smiled back at him. "Good job. Congratulations—you've got one more coming."

She slipped a pale blue cap on Dante's head and started to swaddle him up while Sam turned to look back at the surgical scene. Seconds later, Dr. Bourdon lifted Ariesa over the curtain for Mercedes to see. Ariesa wailed almost as much as her brother, which made Sam smile to himself.

"Sam?" Mercedes called. The blond hurried back to her side. "Is everything okay?"

He took her hand again, lowered the mask from his face and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "They're perfect, Benz. You hear them?"

"Of course," she said with an light laugh.

While Sam was called back over to cut Ariesa's cord, one of the nurses carried a swaddled Dante over for Mercedes to see. Her lips fell into a wonder-filled pout as she crooned, "My baby." He was the tiniest baby she had ever seen but she had heard him cry; she knew he was going to be strong and strong-willed like his parents. She reached her hand up to stroke the back of her index against his bright red cheek as he started to calm down.

"All ten fingers and all ten toes," the nurse happily told her.

"Can I kiss him?" Mercedes asked, never taking her eyes off of her son.

The nurse started to bring Dante closer to her face as she said, "Of course!"

Luckily for Mercedes, her lips were free of gloss or lipstick as she tipped her chin up and pressed her pair to her son's smooth, plump cheek. "Momma loves you so much, son!" she whispered while her eyes pooled with tears. For this, there were no words. Her mind filled with the image of her flawless, innocent little boy, even after the nurse walked away with him. She reached up to wipe the fresh trail of tears from her eyes and quietly sniffled with anxious anticipation for her daughter.

"…so pale," she heard Sam comment to one of the nurses. Mercedes was pulled out of her reverie again from his words. Her brows came together in panic but the concern was quickly and thankfully snuffed by a nurse.

"They're newborns. Most newborns start to gain their pigment over the hours following their birth."

He soon reappeared at Mercedes' side, and as soon as he was close enough, she dully swatted his arm.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"For scaring the crap out of me. You had me thinking something was wrong with Ariesa."

Sam held his hands up in surrender, "I_ did_ think that! That's why I said something—I didn't know! It's not like we've been through this before, baby."

She shook her head at him and soon allowed herself to smile—even before swatting him she knew she wasn't about to build up more than a hair of anger at him. There were too many wonderful things on her mind for her to do that. "How is she?" she asked again.

Sam pulled the mask down again to reveal his smile, "She's beautiful, just like her Momma. I think she's got your nose—Dante too."

"Does she really?" Mercedes giggled. Her fingers tangled with his for a brief moment but once they were free, she gently pushed on his chest, "Go be with them."

He brushed a few fingers across her forehead as he bent down to press kiss full on her lips. Mercedes returned the kiss and snuck in a quick peck before he lifted his head away.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you more," Sam replied with a wink. He strode back to an area Mercedes could not see, but moments later he started to near her again, and from what the singer could hear he had one of their children with him.

"Hi, Baby Girl." His tone dropped significantly as he came closer to Mercedes. She watched in joyful wordlessness as Sam came into view with a pink-capped infant. Ariesa Annette Evans did inherit Mercedes' button nose. And like her brother, she had pudgy, rosy cheeks and a fine set of lungs. But she calmed to trembling coos as Sam spoke to her some more.

"I'm your Daddy. And you're my little princess…You and your brother scared the crap out of your momma and I for getting here so early. No more scaring us like that, okay? Deal?...But…"

Sam's eyes were moist and red-rimmed now, "…We're so glad you two are here…" He freed one of his hands to pinch his thumb and index over the bridge of his nose while his eyes squeezed shut. Despite his efforts, a lone tear leaked down the corner of his right eye. When he moved his hand away to resume securing both hands around his daughter he strained to keep the faint sob out of his voice. "I love you, Princess. And…I know your Momma's been waiting to see you."

Mercedes wiped more tears from her eyes so that she could see her daughter properly. Sam carefully lowered their daughter so that she was face-to-face with the diva. She was only slightly smaller than Dante but both children were heartbreakingly beautiful. Mercedes pressed a tender kiss to Ariesa's cheek as well; the gesture triggered a twitch at the corner of the newborn's lips that resembled a crooked, open-mouthed smile.

Sam and Mercedes both caught it and laughed softly.

"_Someone_ loves her Momma's kisses," said Mercedes with an untamable grin.

"I don't blame her," Sam chuckled, bringing the little girl close to his chest again. "We're sure about the names, right?"

"Are you for real?" she asked with an incredulous smile. "You don't wanna change them, do you?"

"No," he answered quickly. "No, I just wanted to make sure we were still set on them."

"I am. I love how we came up with them and the names are meaningful to us—as they should be."

Sam's lips pulled up in a crooked smile—not unlike the one they recently witnessed from Ariesa—and after a moment of gazing at his daughter again, he nodded once. "Well…Ariesa Annette, let's get you back with your brother while your Momma gets stitched up. Plus, I gotta call your grandparents and tell 'em you guys made it here okay."

One of the nurses approached, "We also would like you to review the birth certificates before you and your wife sign them, Dad."

"Okay," Sam replied.

Still basking in bliss, Mercedes waved her fingers as Sam slowly turned away, "I love you Ariesa."

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! More is coming soon (of course)!<strong>_


	30. Lovesong

_**February 20, 2023**_ (Monday)

It was the second night the new Evans family had been home. The previous night, Sam and Mercedes learned how much easier it would be to have their babies sleeping in the same room as them. So that afternoon, Sam brought their cherry wood cribs into their bedroom, pushed one up to each side of their bed and removed one of the sides from each one, converting them into co-sleepers. That night, Dante slept beside him while Ariesa rested near Mercedes. Already, both babies had begun to take on a light, caramel-colored complexion and despite being fraternal, they shared a lot of similar features. Both had a silky, straight crop of honey-brown hair and chubby cheeks with Mercedes' button nose and Sam's noticeably larger upper lip. Neither babe had kept their eyes open for very long yet, but the glimpses that Sam and Mercedes got indicated that they had inherited a blend of their Momma's dark eyes and their Daddy's bright green hues.

In the middle of the night, Ariesa woke up, garbling coos that soon escalated to whines. Already, Mercedes' motherly instincts were starting to outdo her heavy sleeping habits, and she cracked her eyes open and began to slowly sit up—the soreness in her stomach causing her to softly wince—to tend to her daughter.

"I got her, baby," she heard Sam hoarsely say, and before she could protest, the shift in weight on the mattress told her he was already up. He soon appeared at her side of the bed, slid his hands underneath the backside of Ariesa's lime, cotton onesie and lifted her out of the crib to cradle her close to his warm chest. "Hey pretty girl," Sam whispered as he started to walk around the bedroom. His eyes stared down at Ariesa, who was still fussing, and he asked her, "Are you hungry, Princess A?"

She continued to coo in his arms, even after he'd bent to kiss her tiny button nose.

"Don't forget her blanket, Sam," Mercedes reminded him, mumbling sleepily into her pillow.

He made his way back over to Ariesa's crib and plucked a purple fleece blanket out to wrap her body in. Already, she'd begun to calm on her crying but soon, Dante had begun to stir from his sleep. Sam hadn't been the only one to hear it though; Mercedes let out a sleepy groan but kindly said, "Okaaay you two—you win. Momma and Daddy are up."

She sat up and made long scoots to Sam's side of the bed to get Dante. His tiny newborn hands tried pushing his white blanket from restricting his movements, but it hardly worked. Mercedes loosened the swaddle for him however, once she'd lifted him out of the crib. "Shhhh," Mercedes softly said. "Momma's got you, Dante."

"I'll go get the pillow from the nursery," Sam told her as he wandered towards the door with Ariesa. He crossed the hall to their former guest room—now converted into the twins' nursery. Sam had painted the walls a dark purple that gradually faded into a soft lavender. Stars and a few constellations were littered across all four walls with a few planets to join. He'd painted a rocket ship on one of the planets, with two astronauts floating nearby—one for Dante and one for Ariesa. After crossing the room to the far corner where the glider stood, he grabbed the nursing pillow and carried it and his daughter back to the bedroom.

By the time he had come back to the room, he'd seen that Mercedes had already begin nursing Dante; Sam helped adjust the pillow around her with one hand and then carefully lay Ariesa beside her so she could feed them both at once. It was moments like these where he felt really useless. He knew there wasn't really a way for him to help feed their kids unless they were being bottle-fed, but Mercedes had been more insistent on breastfeeding than bottle feeding. He was too awake now to simply go back to sleep, so he sat on the edge of the bed and watched his two kids.

At one point, his eye caught Mercedes staring oddly at him. "Do you have to stare?"

He grimaced, "It's not like I've never seen your boobs before, Benz."

"I know that," she replied flatly. "It's just weird, I guess. Like you're studying them as if you're gonna be next."

Sam tried not to laugh at that but he did it anyway. She shook her head at him.

"Why don't you play them a song, Honey?" she suggested. "You haven't done that for them since they've been born."

Sam perked up, wondering why he hadn't thought of that himself. "Alright, I'll be right back."

She smirked and shook her head slowly at him, but soon returned her attention back to her nursing children. Ariesa suckled with her eyes closed while Dante stared up at her with drooping lids. Her lips grew to a smile, "Tryin' to be just like your daddy huh? Don't wanna miss a thing."

As Sam returned with his Starcaster, Mercedes quietly asked, "What are you gonna play?"

He opened his mouth to answer, while slipped the strap over his bare shoulder, but he closed it with a smile. "You'll know it when you hear it."

She cocked a curious but amused brow but waited and listened as he began plucking a few repetitive notes. When the melody changed slightly, Mercedes' smile softened with her recognition and she soon found herself softly singing along.

"_Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again_…"

Sam strummed on and watched Mercedes' lips form a grin. It was her favorite of the many songs Adele had covered. In fact most of the British singer's early covers were favorite songs of Mercedes'. His gaze would shift on occasion from what his fingers were doing, to what Mercedes' facial expressions read, to how receptive the twins were to it.

"_Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am young again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am fun again…However far awayyy, I will always love you. However long I stayyy, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you_…"

During the lyrical break, as both babes had stopped eating, Mercedes carefully picked up Dante to burp him first. Her hand rubbed light circles along his back as she softly sang on.

"_Whenever I'm alone with you…you make me feel like I am free again. Whenever I'm alone with you…you make me feel like I am clean again. However far away, I will always love you. However long I stay, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you_…"

She got one audible burp from him which made her smile while she sang.

"_However far away, I will always love you. However long I stayyy, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you…I'll always love you. I'll always love you, 'cause I love, yes I do—I'll always love_…"

Sam played his guitar a bit longer—repeating some of the acoustic melody to "Lovesong" as Mercedes carefully pried Dante from her chest. She held him out in front of her, just in time to watch his eyes flutter shut. His plump, dark lips puckered and twitched as though he were still eating; Mercedes tucked her own lips in to keep from laughing too loudly at the sight. After lifting him close enough for her to press the lightest of kisses to his cheek, she placed him in the crib where Ariesa had previously been and then picked up the little girl to burp her as well.

"I can burp her if you want," offered Sam, who had brought his guitar-playing to a conclusion or the time being.

"If you want o," replied Mercedes.

"I do."

She smiled at him and let him come take Ariesa from her. After moving the pillow from her lap, she slipped back under the covers and watched Sam hold Ariesa gently yet securely to his chest. She had never seen him hold anything as carefully as he held their children; it was both comforting and endearing for Mercedes to witness. She lay back down, finding herself falling back asleep faster than expected, but her eyes stayed on Sam and Ariesa for as long as possible. It had become one of her favorite things to do—watch him hold their kids and be affectionate to them. His love for their kids was so overwhelming that she could almost touch it sometimes. And in the short number of days that they had been parents, she could already tell that he was the best father.

"I love you, Evans" Mercedes said in a sleepy and decided tone.

Sam's lips had just finished kissing the top of their daughter's head when he looked to her. The corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile. He didn't know what provoked her to tell him that right then and there but there wouldn't be a time in their lives where he wouldn't want to hear it—that much was very clear to him. As her eyes shut, he murmured back, "I love you too, Benz."

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><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! Only a few more chapters are coming!<br>*Song lyrics are from The Cure's "Lovesong", which was covered by Adele on her album, 21.**_


	31. Carefree

_**April 2, 2023**_ (Sunday)

"Are you sure you guys are gonna be okay with both of them and Lizzie?"

Blaine cast an endearing smile with a slight tilt of his head, while coddling Ariesa to his chest. Hers and Dante's warm chestnut hair had started to curl at the ends as it grew out. Their bodies had grown to the size of an average-sized newborn by now which allowed them to start wearing the clothes that were gifted to them at the shower.

"We're sure, Mercedes," Blaine replied. "Besides it's just for one night. Kurt and I will have everything under control."

"And me!" piped up a pajama-clad Lizzie as she thrust one of the twins' pacifiers in the air.

Sam chuckled and tried to usher Mercedes to the door but she held her ground to protest, "But we came out here to see your closing night, Blaine—not to make you babysit."

"Mercedes, please," interjected Kurt as he appeared from the kitchen, holding Dante in one arm and a bottle in his other hand. "Blaine, Lizzie and I can handle these _adorrrable_ little angels just fine. And trust me—we know you and Sam need this night away. You two did the same for us when Lizzie was a baby and we've been looking forward to returning the favor so _go_."

The singer pouted and let herself give in to Sam's gentle persistence. But she quickly tore away from his grip to give Dante and Ariesa another kiss goodbye. "Be good, babies," she told them—her voice dripping with sadness.

"Oh for god's sake Mercedes, it's only one night." Kurt shook his head while guiding the bottle nipple to Dante's mouth. "I know you'll be back here first thing in the morning to make sure they didn't start walking while you were away.."

She grimaced at her best friend, "Don't even joke about that."

"No need to worry, Mercedes, you've got a while before that's gonna happen. You and Sam enjoy yourselves."

"Benz, come on. Kurt and Blaine…_and Lizzie_ know what they're doing," Sam softly urged. His pseudo niece beamed at him and he winked back at her before going on to remind her, "We won't be far."

At last, Mercedes willed herself to head out with Sam, albeit she pouted the entire way out the door.

Blaine followed them to the door to close it behind them and as he walked back towards their living room—which was now filled with the twins' Pack 'n Play, two bulging diaper bags and one small duffle filled with their clothes.

"_Finally_!" Kurt said, "I was two seconds away from pushing her out the door." He turned his gaze onto Dante with a wide toothless smile, "Now I can smother you in Uncle Kurt kisses without your overprotective momma smothering us!"

Blaine chuckled, "Give her a break, Babe. She and Sam are new that this, just like Finn and Quinn with Sophia. We weren't much better when Lizzie was a baby."

"I don't remember us coaching other parents on how to change a diaper, Blaine," retorted a still smiling Kurt. He watched Dante's tiny, face scrunch up before letting out a tiny sneeze.

"My goodness! Bless you DJ!"

"Uh-oh," Blaine said in an ominous sing-song voice

Kurt's voice seemed to be stuck on speaking in falsetto baby-talk as he asked, "What is it?" When he didn't get a response he glanced up to see that Blaine was staring at him with an expression that translated to, "_Really? You're talking to _me_, here_."

"Sorry," Kurt muttered in his usual tone, "What is it?"

Immediately, Blaine reverted to his own infant speak with a scrunched up nose, "I think someone has a stinky diaper."

Kurt rolled his eyes but smiled at his husband, "You better take care of it before she gets a rash."

"I'll help, Daddy! Please, can I help?"

Blaine's face remained contorted from the smell as he warily told Lizzie, "I don't know if you're gonna wanna help with this one, sweetheart."

"Yes I do! Please! I wanna help with DJ and 'Riesa!" she insisted with a slight whine.

Blaine made the mistake of staring down into her large blue eyes; he was a sucker for her pleading gaze, so he told her, "Okay you can be Daddy's helper." Look in that green diaper bag and find a new diaper for Ariesa—a diaper and wipes."

"Are you sure the green one's hers?" asked Kurt. "I thought the green one was Dante's and the brown one was Ariesa's."

"I'm pretty sure Mercedes and Sam said the green one was Ariesa's and the brown one was Dante's."

Sighing, Kurt asked to himself, "Why are they so averse to pink and blue distinctions?" HE shook his head and then said, "Lizzie can you open the green diaper bag?"

"Okay!" Right away Lizzie dashed over to the two diaper bags beside the Pack 'N Play. She pulled on the Velcro flap and lifted it open to show various white, pink, purple, lime and yellow outfits. Lizzie went ahead and opened the brown diaper bag as well which held orange, white, blue, and grey outfits. While she returned to the green bag for a diaper, Blaine laid out a blanket on the couch and carefully lay Ariesa over it on her back. Her legs cringed together and she cooed at him as he stared to undo the buttons on her onesie. His pace started slow, the closer he got to getting to the actual diaper however.

Kurt watched him while he fed a bottle to Dante. "Oh my god, Blaine just open it."

"I will!" He said, though still obviously fearful to do so. After Lizzie handed him the diaper and wipes, Blaine held up Ariesa's ankles with one hand and pulled the tiny winged straps apart. Instant regret hit him after he pulled the front part of the diaper down.

"EWWWW!" Lizzie shrieked, cupping her hands to her nose and diving to the floor.

"It's not that b—never mind." Blaine cringed and turned his head to bury his nose in his sleeve.

Kurt slowly approached, "Come on—all she and Dante eat is cereal and mil—dear god, that smell is an assault on my nose!" He backed away quickly with a look of disgust, "We've obviously forgotten this part of infancy. Hurry up and change her so we can get rid of that smell!"

Ariesa started to fuss, as her ankles were still suspended by Blaine's hand. He drew in a breath and held it while quickly wiping her clean and exchanging the soiled diaper for a fresh one. After letting the held breath go, he closed up the dirty diaper with a wrinkled nose and said, "That…was just—ugh."

After quickly snapping Ariesa's onesie shut, Blaine carried her outside with him to toss the diaper and when he returned, Kurt was seated on the couch, burping Dante and Lizzie was sitting beside him, swaying from side-to-side as she sang to Dante.

"_Yeah_ _I tell you something I think you understand….yeah I tell you something. I wanna hold your haaand. I wanna hold your haaaaand. I wanna hold your hand_…"

Kurt shut his eyes, humming along and smiling as Lizzie did her best with the lyrics. He would often sing this song to her as a lullaby, from the first night he and Blaine brought her home, to now—whenever Lizzie got hurt and needed cheering up.

Blaine smiled at the sight and carried Ariesa into the kitchen to prepare her a bottle but found that Kurt had already done so. When he returned to the living room to feed the young girl, he sat beside his husband and joined their daughter in singing the classic Beatles number.

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><p>Sam finished running a hot bubble bath for himself and Mercedes. He had stripped down to his underwear, just before leaving the bathroom to get her. When he returned to their suite room however, he found his wife sitting at the end of the bed with her back turned, hunched over in a robe and sniffling. Sam grimaced as he picked up on her quiet sobs and wandered over to sit beside her.<p>

Mercedes glanced up as he sat down at her left side but she quickly lowered her head.

"You miss them, don't you?" Sam lowly asked.

"And you don't?" she questioned—her frown deepening.

"Of course I do," answered Sam as he reached up to dry her eyes. He then brought his arm around her shoulders and said, "But I also have been looking forward to a little alone time for us."

Leaning into him, Mercedes told him, "I know this will be good for us but it's so hard being away from them."

Sam pursed his lips and then leaned over to kiss the side of her head. "We'll be back with them tomorrow, Baby." Intent on making her smile, he quirked his lips up and joked, "I think those two are turning you into a softy."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, "Oh shut it."

"Aaand she's back, ladies and gents." He grinned at her and moved his hands to massage her shoulders. "Now…I have a nice hot bath waiting for us…you gonna let it go to waste?"

Mercedes, whose eyes had rolled shut, smirked, "Only if you keep massaging my shoulders because damn it feels amazing." Her head lolled to one side and then rolled forward as Sam slipped his hands beneath her robe collar. Soon his lips were at her neck and ear, grazing along her smooth skin. Mercedes let out a soft groan and licked her lips. "This isn't gonna get me to that bath any faster, you know."

Sam mocked her groan, "Mmm, you're right. And I guess I could continue this there, couldn't I?"

"Yep," Mercedes replied with a soft grin. Before she could stand, she felt Sam's hands leave the inside of her collar and come around her middle to undo the robe belt. She let it fall from her shoulders and slipped her arms out when she stood. Her hand found Sam's and she followed him into the hotel room's bathroom, which now smelled entirely of a sugary vanilla scent.

Sam stepped inside the Jacuzzi tub first and kept his hand in hers as joined him. They sat down in the water, back-to-chest once Sam tucked an arm under his wife's voluptuous chest and pulled her close. Mercedes tilted her head back to rest it on his shoulder and he lowered his chin onto hers to resume teasing at her ear. When his teeth released her lobe, he told her, "You know…as much as I love when you wear your hair down, I kinda like when you have it up too."

She chuckled softly, "You do?"

"Mhm. I think the first time I saw you wear it up was at senior prom."

"Well that was a special occasion—for a few reasons."

Sam grinned while still speaking softly against her skin, "Yeah. None of those reasons having to do with dinosaurs."

"Ohh lord, I forgot about that!"

"How could you forget?" Sam asked. He raised his chin up but continued holding her close. "Brittany had the cheerios dancing in dinosaur heads and she came out looking like Pebbles from the Flintstones."

"Yeah and you and the guys did your little boy band number," she added with a growing smile.

The water sloshed slightly as Sam shrugged, "It's not prom without a pop anthem or two. I still can't believe they tried to get Mike to perform it at the reunion last summer…"

Mercedes laughed one short laugh, "What?" With several shakes of her head, "Poor Mike."

"I know. Oh, remember at the prom how there was a 'no hair gel' rule? Blaine's hair looked so…"

"Untamed?" she finished for him.

Both laughed at that but Mercedes' faded sooner than Sam's.

"Which prom did you like more—our first or second prom together?"

Sam's lips puckered towards one corner of his mouth. He really thought out his response before giving it. "Our first."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You sound surprised."

"I am, a little. I thought for sure you were gonna say our second."

His brows rose slightly, "Why's that?"

It was Mercedes' turn to shrug, "You just seemed a lot more carefree at it than our first one."

"Well..I was. For one, I wasn't homeless while trying to impress two dates for prom. And I wasn't fighting to get you back anymore that year—I won you back and it was high time I got to celebrate that with you."

Mercedes smiled, hearing the happiness in his voice as he made recollections. "So why did you pick the first one then?"

He held her a little bit tighter, "Because you made that night a lot more carefree for me than things had been for me at that time. It sucked having everyone on my case about those dumb rumors the week before. On top of that, it didn't change anything for the better with my family's situation and…for a moment, after I'd agreed to do the prom on a budget thing with you and Rachel, I almost backed out."

Now, she shifted to look into his eyes, "…You've never told me that before. Why?"

Sam licked his lips, "I was nervous. Rachel had already asked me to prom before then and I'd told her 'no'. It was mostly because I couldn't afford to but also because he intensity in Glee club kinda freaked me out from time to time. But on top of that, I didn't know you very well then. I mean, I always thought you were pretty, and an amazing singer but we hadn't really talked much. I thought prom was gonna end up being awkward for both of us and you'd be mad about having a bad time with me."

Her smile returned and Sam imitated it as he went on to explain.

"But when Rachel, Jesse and I went to pick you up, you just…blew me away. I'd been wanting to tell you since I saw you that night that you looked really beautiful but…like I said, I was nervous."

"I'm sorry I made you nervous."

Sam chuckled incredulously, "You're apologizing for something that happened almost eleven years ago?" When she didn't answer, he told her, "It's okay. Trust me, I never blamed you and even if I did, I've long since forgiven you for stunning me like you did. Anyway, I realized at Breadstix how cool you were to be around and until Jesse'd brought it up, I'd forgotten about my problems. I'd forgotten them again later that night though when I finally grew a pair and asked you to dance."

Mercedes giggled, "And the rest is history."

He kissed her cheek, "Got that right. But that's why our first prom together is my favorite of the two. Dinosaurs were cool, I guess. And I'll never forget how stunning you were in your dress, but our first prom was the real jumpstart to our relationship and we didn't even know it then."

"All these years and we've never had this conversation before. I mean, we've talked about bits and pieces but never all of this." Smiling still, Mercedes softly told him, "Prom was pretty magical wasn't it?"

"You could say that," answered Sam. He kissed her cheek and kept his lips close to her skin again as his hand moved from supporting her chest to resuming the massage on the bed. "You know what?"

Already falling prey to his spellbinding hands, Mercedes merely replied with, "Hm?"

She felt him grin near her ear, "It's been six weeks."

"And?"

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at her cluelessness, "And, there's two parts to tonight."

With a feeble amount of sass, Mercedes replied, "So part one is you buttering me up with this bath and massage?"

"Well if you wanna suck all the romance out of it, yeah." He saw her smirk and then he added, "I'll keep my massages going."

She could pick up the coaxing tone of his voice; without opening her now closed eyes she raised her brows, "This shoulder rub's only gonna carry you for so long, Evans."

"Who said I'd keep going with just your shoulders?"

She opened her eyes at that, and couldn't fight the urge to grin. It was clear her man had needs, especially after months of deprivation. But those needs weren't one-sided and she was starting to gather that he was all-too aware of this. Sustaining her grin she told him, "I'm all yours tonight, Babe."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! I love the reviews that have been given so far! I'm hoping to give everyone at least one more appearance before I wrap this fic up! More is coming in the few chapters that are left!<br>Special thanks to smilin4love for the prom references/flashback idea! Hope I did your suggestion justice!**_


	32. Birthday Surprises

_**May 3, 2023**_ (Wednesday)

"You're so stubborn!"

"I have work to do before tonight, Mercedes," argued Sam.

"You _need_ to rest, Sam," she argued back. Both of her arms were full, holding their alert three month-old children, while she stared down at her husband in bed. Sam had his face buried in a pillow, but looked inarguably unwell. He had a small pile of tissue wads on his nightstand; his eyes were red and watery, and he had a terrible croak in his throat. Mercedes was a mixture of concern and fury whenever he got sick; it didn't happen often but when it did, he was always reluctant to rest up so that he could get better sooner.

Sam turned his head towards her, cutting a weak glare at her, "I'll be fine. Just…I need to finish this demo before Jay starts hounding me over it."

Mercedes shook her head, "Jay and the music can wait, okay? You never take care of yourself when you get sick and it only takes you twice as long to get better when you do that. But Sam it's not just you that you need to think of now. What if Dante or Ariesa catch what you have?"

"They're not gonna—"

"You don't know that Sam. They're babies, so they're probably more vulnerable to these things than we are. In fact, lemme get them out of here before they catch your cold."

Sam groaned, "You're over-reacting."

From the hallway Mercedes retorted, "You're sick as a dog."

Sam had started to turn over onto his back but he ended up changing his mind and lying flat on his stomach again. "Worst, birthday ever," he mumbled bitterly into his pillow.

* * *

><p>"Oookay munchkins, I see you yawning," Mercedes murmured with a smile. By now she had mastered laying Dante and Ariesa down in their cribs while holding them both at once. She pressed a tender kiss to the top of Dante's caramel-colored head and laid him on his stomach, and then did the same with Ariesa in her crib.<p>

Both children babbled lightly but Mercedes stood between their cribs, humming Toni Braxton's "You Mean The World To Me" while their eyes fluttered shut. She continued to hum the song while pulling a thin blanket over their backs. After a short while of watching them slumber, she went to their dresser, wound up a small music box and let it play a twinkling version of "Claire de Lune". After checking the monitor, she popped back into hers and Sam's bedroom to find him snoring softly into his pillow. She cast a sympathetic smile to him, grabbed her phone and then left the room as quietly as she'd entered it.

While making her way to the kitchen, she found Jay's number and called him up.

"Mercedes! What up, Momma?"

"Hey Jay. Listen, I know Sam's supposed to be working on a demo with you."

"Yeah where's that lazy ass at? I been callin' him all morning!"

Mercedes rolled her eyes but kept her tone friendly, "He's in bed sick, Jay."

"…Oh."

"Yeah. Not exactly how he's wanting to spend his birthday b—"

"Wait, that's today? Shit!"

"Yeahh May 3rd's been his birthday for the past 29 years now."

She heard Jay sigh, "No I meant about tonight." After a brief pause, he asked, "Is he too sick for his party?"

"Um…" Mercedes was moving about the kitchen, gathering everything she'd need to make a cake, "He might be up for it later—I was gonna call and let everyone know it might have to get cancelled, but we'll see."

"Well take good care of him Ma. I'm sure you'll have him on his feet by tonight."

She chuckled softly, "We'll see. Talk to you later, Jay."

"Later 'Cedes!"

* * *

><p>Throughout the time it took for her to call up their friends and give them a warning, she had the batter made and poured into a greased casserole dish. Once the cake was inside the oven she went to the sink to pull the batter-covered spoon from the bowl and lick it. As she turned her back to the sink, she gasped and nearly dropped the spoon. Sam stood in his boxers with bed head, rubbing his eyes. She couldn't help but smile at how boyish he would look, fresh out of bed.<p>

"Aw, Babe your nap was short."

Following a yawn, Sam wandered into the kitchen, "Wasn't much of a nap—I was just hoping to make up for the sleep I didn't get last night. And I want some of that."

Mercedes saw him eyeing the spoon; after one more lick, she held it up to his mouth and watched his lips pinch around the top of the spoon and suck the batter off. She giggled at him, "You really should take something."

"I don't have a cold, Benz. It's allergies. You know how bad they get for me this time of year. And that, plus me _not_ being used to not waking up in the middle of the night much anymore has me feeling drained."

With a pout, Mercedes cupped a hand to his cheek, "Maybe a Benadryl will help. You'll get some rest, no doubt, and it'll help your allergies."

Sam reached around her to swish a finger in the bowl; he dotted her nose with some batter and then stuck the rest in his mouth, smirking at Mercedes' shocked expression.

"You did not just put batter on my nose, Samuel Dwight Evans."

"Oooo snap, the full name," he mocked after kissing the batter off her nose. He then had the sense to back away from her slowly.

Mercedes turned away from him long enough to get some batter on her own finger. She approached him with a sadistic smirk, watching Sam's hands rise up in surrender.

"I'm the birthday boy, remember? And I'm unarmed!"

"You shoulda thought of that before dotting my nose." With that, she charged at him but rather than running, Sam seized her wrists and leaned away from her, laughing with her.

"Show me watch you got, Baby!" he taunted.

Accepting his challenge through her giggles, she managed to free one of her wrists and reached for his waist to pull him closer, but in Sam's attempts to evade her, she snagged his elastic waistline and yanked his boxers halfway down his ass.

"Whoa! Cake batter_ and_ birthday sex?" he teased, wiggling his brows.

Playing right along, Mercedes wittily replied, "Only if you think you're well enough for it."

With his cheeks growing slightly pink, he reminded her, "I'm not sick."

"But you're not well either. I don't want you to be all sloppy on me."

He smirked devilishly, "Is that a challenge, Benz?"

"It's whatever you take it as," she coyly answered with a shrug, finally deciding to smear her batter-riddled finger down the middle of his chiseled front. As she sucked the remaining remnants batter off her finger, she turned her back to him and wandered back to towards the sink.

And Sam was watching her every move like a hawk—watching her slide her finger out of her mouth; watching her hips sway in her rose-colored baby doll pajamas; her chest bounce with each step. He bit his lip and approached until he was standing directly behind her again. After gathering some more batter from the bowl with the tips of his fingers, his hand slid up her inner thigh, purposely catching the end of her pajamas on the way, so he could feel the skin underneath.

When Mercedes didn't resist, he told her in a low, husky voice, "I can think of something better than batter though."

Her breath hitched for a moment, "You're messy."

"Yeah but you kinda like it."

She smirked, "Whose birthday is it again?"

"Mine. All mine." As she reached down to pull his boxers all the way off, Sam glanced at the timer on the oven. "Twenty minutes," he muttered, looking down at his wife. His eyes quickly rolled shut however, as he felt Mercedes leave suckling kisses down his chest where the batter trail once had been but he gasped audibly when her lips kept going past his belly button.

* * *

><p>The kitchen was a hot mess. The batter bowl—which looked practically clean again now—was turned over on the floor; the measuring cups and spoons Mercedes had used were scattered across the counter and Sam's boxers had somehow traveled to the opposite side of the room as Mercedes' dress. Flour and butter from greasing the pan had been smeared across the table, as well as their bodies. They lay, legs tangled in one another's on the tile floor. Mercedes hair was more of a disheveled mess than Sam's; both wore flour handprints on some part of their body.<p>

"Damn" Sam breathed, catching his breath.

"Happy birthday."

He beamed a lazy grin, "Thank you, Baby."

"You were right."

"About what?" Sam asked, brows furrowing.

"You're not sick, at all."

His grin strengthened, "Told ya. And who knew making a cake could be so much fun?"

Mercedes giggled softly, "We took baking to a whole new level."

"At least we had the sense to leave the frosting alone. Otherwise that cake woulda been real dry."

As Mercedes opened her mouth to respond, the timer on the oven went off. Groaning, she reluctantly untangled her legs from Sam's, lifted her head from his chest and stood to check on the cake. Sam sat up to watch her for a moment, and then he surveyed the damage they'd done to the kitchen. "Uh…I'll help you clean this up."

"Don't worry about it," she replied sweetly. "It's your birthday after all. Besides you better get cleaned up. The twins could be up in any moment and I don't want us lovin' on them with butter and flour all over." As if to emphasize her point, she nodded towards him with her eyes on his shining torso.

Sam smirked crookedly, "Good point." He got up to grab his boxers, made his way over to take a first whiff of the baked cake and then planted a kiss on his wife's lips. "Don't take too long in here."

"I won't. I'll be right behind you."

"Good," Sam murmured back. He then wandered back out of the kitchen with a new spring in his step, compared to how he had entered it earlier.

* * *

><p>After cleaning up—the kitchen and themselves—Mercedes and Sam spent the early part of the afternoon playing with Dante and Ariesa. Sam rocked them in their swings and made up a story to tell them while Mercedes returned to the cooled cake to frost it and slice some strawberries for a top garnish. As she went to put the cake in the fridge, she cursed under her breath and closed the fridge door. "Sam, I need to run to the store."<p>

"How come?" he called from the living room.

"We don't have enough drinks for everyone."

"Just call Mike and Tina and ask them to pick something up before they get here."

Mercedes shook her head as she entered the room to grab her purse, "No, they're making the drive down here on a weekday; I can at least go get the drinks. Don't worry—I'll be back in a flash."She leaned over to her seated husband, pecked his lips and then blew a kiss to each of their kids before rushing for the door.

Mercedes opted on taking her BMW, and picked up a twelve pack of Corona, as well as a few 2-liters of soda. She knew it wasn't her real reason for going out, but rather, she had to pick up Sam's _real _birthday present. Weeks earlier, she had a few custom items made for him. The first were a pair of dog tags with Dante and Ariesa's faces etched into one side; the reverse side held their full names and birthdates. The second item was a sleek black Fender Starcaster. Mercedes got in touch with a graphic artist who drew a collage of DC and Marvel comic book characters around the entirety of the body. She picked it up second and then headed to her car—momentarily held up by the paparazzi.

"Mercedes! How are the kids?"

"We haven't seen you out much. Everything alright?"

"Are you enjoying being a first time mother?"

"How long are you taking a break from music?"

"What's with the guitar case?"

"Where's the rest of your family?"

She shook her head, smirking at the ridiculous inquiries they all had. "Y'all are something else. It's my husband's birthday," was all she told them before getting into her BMW. Through the glass she heard a few of them blurt out birthday wishes for Sam and a couple had even begun singing 'Happy Birthday' for him. She chuckled, started up her car and headed back home.

* * *

><p>By the time the evening rolled around, Mercedes had changed clothes for a second time—Ariesa had spit up on her initial outfit for the day. She and Sam got both children to sleep for the time being, but shortly after, Mike and Tina arrived with Little Mikey and a sleeping year-old Sawyer. Mike had a few days away from his studio again to rehearse in LA for Rihanna's newest music video while Tina would be meeting up with a few fellow designers for autumn trends. Tina went to lie Sawyer down straight away, in the nursery, while Mike and Little Mikey wished Sam a happy birthday.<p>

"Artie wanted me to give this to you. He said he's sorry he couldn't get the time off work to come down with us."

Sam smirked, taking the small gift bag; something told him it was some sort of Apple product that he was gonna enjoy playing with later.

"I made this for you, Uncle Sammy!" Mikey proudly said, jutting a folded paper up to the tall blond.

Sam smirked, "You did? Ah I bet it's gonna be the best card I ever got." Sam began to unfold it but Mikey's face contorted into a deep scowl.

"How'd you know it's a card!"

Thinking fast, Sam nodded seriously, "It's part of my Jedi powers. Yoda taught me."

Mikey nodded slowly, "Ohhh!"

Sam smirked and finally unfolded it. Mikey had drawn a picture of all of them: himself, Sam, Mike, Tina, Sawyer, Mercedes, Dante and Ariesa. They were all standing on some grass and up in the clouds said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE SAMMY!" in large crayon writing.

"I knew it! It is the best card I ever got. Thanks Mach 3!" Sam said cheerfully. He crouched to the boy's level and gave him a huge hug.

Soon after, Jay, along with a couple of their mutual friends arrived. As Sam got ready to close the door behind them, Mercedes' manager showed up.

"Hey Trish," Sam said, stepping aside to invite her in.

"Hi Sam. Happy birthday by the way." She handed him a pale blue envelope with his name in the center while asking, "Is Mercedes around? Sorry, but I can't stay too long."

"Oh. That's okay. Yeah, she's in the nursery with Tina."

"Nope, I'm right here," Mercedes said, emerging from the hallway with Ariesa in her arms. She caught Sam's confused expression and explained, "She woke up after Tina and I set up a place for Sawyer to nap."

"Mercedes!" her manager, Trisha spoke up with an urgent tone. "I need to talk to you—it's really important."

Mercedes' brows furrowed, "Okay? What's up?"

"Well I have good news and bad news."

"Start with the bad, T. You know how I am."

"Yes, yes—end on a good note. Alright, the bad news is that I'm not going to be able to manage you for a few weeks."

"What? But…"

"I know, I know, you were getting ready to get back in the studio. But it's a long story and I'm sorry but a lot of things have come up and I need to sort them out. But remember, I said that there was good news too."

Unable to see what it could possibly be, Mercedes flatly answered, "I have someone to take my place during my…hiatus, if you will. And I assure you, she is a diamond in the management rough. She's kinda new to music management but she's great and I have a feeling you two will click while I'm away."

Shaking her head, "I still don't get what this is all about but…I trust you, T. What's her name?"

Smiling confidently, Trisha said, "I set up a lunch meeting for you two on Friday. Her name is Lauren Zizes."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! I really love reading your thoughts on the chapters! <strong>_


	33. Cinco de Mayo

_**May 5, 2023**_ (Friday)

Mercedes woke up to a half-empty bed, but heard her husband's voice coming through the baby monitor, along with intervals of acoustic guitar chords and the soft babble of their kids. She sat up smiling and carried the monitor to the bathroom to freshen up while Sam spoke to their kids, telling them the story of how he taught Mercedes to fish during their first summer together.

She listened up until she jumped in the shower and got ready for her lunch date with Lauren. After readying her hair and make-up, she dressed in a brown, off-the-shoulder blouse and white skinny jeans and slipped on some flats before heading out of the bedroom. She popped in the nursery to find Sam sitting in his pajamas between the twins with his new guitar, strumming another set of chords for them. From inside their seat bouncers, Mercedes could see Ariesa and Dante smiling up at their daddy at the sound of the music.

"And then Momma wanted to keep the fish but I told her it was waaaay too small and we had to throw it back." said Sam with a smile and a glance up at his wife.

Mercedes smiled back, "So daddy tried to free my fish but when he threw it back, the fishy didn't go anywhere."

"You know, I was gonna leave that part out of the story," Sam muttered with reddening cheeks.

"I had a feeling you were gonna," she replied with a soft giggle while entering the nursery. "I'm getting ready to go though."

She bent down while standing in front of Sam and watched him crane his neck to meet her lips. They mumbled 'I love you' to one another, and then knelt to leave goodbye kisses on their kids' foreheads. "Momma loves you. Be good for Daddy!"

Dante cooed at her while Ariesa smiled from the kiss; Mercedes pouted, "I wanna take them with me."

"We'll be here when you get back, Benz. Once Puck comes up from San Diego, I'll be showing DJ and Ariesa how to spank him in Street Fighter on the Quad," Sam reminded her.

She shook her head, "You and that Xbox. Just don't forget the laundry today, okay?"

Sam glanced at Dante while he mused, "Crazy, huh? Puck gets back from Osaka the same day that you're meeting up with Zizes."

"Mmhm, but who knows if we're all reading into this a little too much. I mean it's been over ten years since they dated and they broke up that same year."

"Rachel and Jesse rekindled their flame after she and Finn divorced. And Finn and Quinn did the same," he pointed out with a shrug.

"True, but…I'm just trying not to get my hopes up too much. I know Tina's hopelessly romantic heart was optimistic when she and Mike headed back home, but Lauren and Puck are both stubborn."

"Well…they just don't make it easy on one another but I thought they were pretty good for each other, for the time they were together."

Mercedes smiled a little, "Yeah. She was kinda the only one who could reign him Puck's…everything. And he loved that she was just as tough as he was. Anyway, I'll let you know how things go when I get back." With a wave of her fingers, she headed out of the nursery, out of the condo and to her BMW.

* * *

><p>She and Lauren were meeting at Katsuya on Hollywood and Vine. After finding a place to park, she headed inside the sushi restaurant.<p>

The hostess at the door smiled widely, having recognized Mercedes, and greeted her, "Hi Ms. Jones! Welcome to Katsuya."

"Thanks—I have a reservation; it should be under Lauren Zizes."

The woman looked down at the screen on her podium and smiled, "Yes, Ms. Zizes is already here. I'll show you to your table."

Mercedes followed the hostess to a table near the rear of the restaurant, away from the majority of the other guests. The singer's eyes lit up, coupled with a bright smile as soon as she spotted Lauren. Her dark auburn hair was cut in an A-bob—most of which was covered by a stylish purple bucket hat with a white bow. Ever comfortable in her plus sized physique, she stared down at a menu from behind a dark purple, rectangular-framed pair of glasses which matched her lavender, brown and white maxi dress.

"And we've come full circle," said Lauren as Mercedes was abandoned by the hostess. She looked up from the menu with a closed-lipped smile and folded her arms across her chest, "You know…I always you knew you were gonna make it big."

Mercedes let out a sassy chuckle, "Oh I believe that! And look at you! How long have you been LA?"

"Since the fall after we graduated. I got a scholarship from UCLA for wrestling, so I took it and majored in business management."

They took a seat and Lauren went on, "Glee club might not have been my thing, but that didn't mean I didn't love music. And getting a taste of being a manager was kinda cool, so I took it as my profession. Plus you know I run things like a boss."

The singer grinned, "That you do. Well I'm really happy for you and that we're gonna get to work together for real this time."

Lauren smirked, "Oh and though it's a month early, happy anniversary to you and Sam. One year's coming up for you guys, right?"

"Yeah—this past year's been crazy busy!"

"Oh I'm sure. A Grammy, a wedding, _two_ babies, and a top 10 single? You're on your way, Mariah."

Another giggle from the singer. "Yeah I guess I'm not doing so bad, huh? What about you? Don't tell me you've been a workaholic for all these years."

"You mean, have I gone off and married someone?"

Mercedes shrugged, "Sure. Married, dating, kids—where you at with that?"

"Ah ha," Lauren chuckled once, "No kids for me. I'm more content being Auntie L, than a mom. As for a man? Eh…LA's not exactly crawling with guys who can handle me. They think they can but…let's just say heir badassery is as fake as their tans."

_Badassery_, Mercedes thought. _Man, after all these years they're still a lot alike_. While their waiter came to their table, she tried to think quickly of a way to skirt around the question she really wanted to ask. Quickly, a question came to her, but she waited until after they ordered food to ask it.

"So…have you kept in touch with anyone since high school?"

Laruen's brows rose suspiciously. "Anyone in particular? Like, oh I dunno, Puckerman?"

Busted. Mercedes lowered her gaze guiltily to her glass of water.

"I haven't spoken to Puck since graduation, 'Cedes. I don't even know where he's at or what chick's bed he's rolling out today and frankly? I don't really care," she answered sharply. "He could be back in Lima, cleaning pools and nailing slutty wives, or chasing up Shelby Corcoran's skirt in hopes of playing house with her and his kid; I don't give a damn. I'm doing my thing, solo."

Mercedes' brows rose. For someone who didn't care, Lauren's winded response sure had a lot of fire behind it. She opened her mouth to fill her in on what Puck was really up to these days, but her gaping lips closed as an idea hit her. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Uh…" Lauren's face contorted, "Probably go hit up a bar or something. Why?"

"Come hang out with Sam and I tonight. It's our first time in a while going out without the twins and it's Cinco de Mayo!"

Still suspicious, Lauren asked, "Where are you two going?"

"Skybar. They're doing bottomless margaritas tonight."

"Ooo, 'Cedes. Wife, mom, artist…Do we need to add party girl to your do-it-all list?" Lauren grinned.

Mercedes shrugged coyly with a grin, "Look, I'm not saying I'm trying to get drunk tonight. I just wanted to go out and have fun and so does Sam. So the twins' Aunt Alicia's gonna watch them tonight. Pleeease come? We can catch up more and just have a good time!"

The waitress returned with their sashimi and spicy tuna platters. After mulling it over for a moment in her mind, Lauren told her, "Alright count me in."

Her grin changed from coy to triumphant, "Good. Oh and, bring your suit."

* * *

><p>"Mercedes Jones-Evans!" Lauren loudly hissed, the moment she spotted the diva. Lauren had shown up at the poolside lounge in a blue, knee-length cocktail dress and heels, but her bespectacled eyes were glaring down the diva from a short distance away.<p>

Sitting to Mercedes' left, with his olive-toned back turned was Puck. He had just downed a shot but turned to see who was calling at his friend in such a harsh tone. His eyes nearly popped out of his mouth when he saw his ex-girlfriend standing near the pool. He couldn't believe she was standing there, still looking fierce as hell. During their junior year, she'd moved him in ways no other female had. Now she was standing before him, looking sexy and angry—two rude combinations in the mind of Noah Puckerman.

"Hey, Lauren!" Sam called from inside the pool.

He waved at her but she ignored him with her eyes burning into her friend.

"Mercedes!" She growled again.

Mercedes pulled the straw from her margarita glass, unfazed by the brunette's visible upset, "Lauren!" She stood up from the high-rise table and walked over to her friend and current manager, "If we keep shouting at each other they might kick us out."

"Why in the _hell_ didn't you tell me Puck was gonna be here with you guys!"

"Look, calm down Lauren. He just got back from Japan and I thought it'd be fun for us all to hang tonight."

"Japan? Why?"

Mercedes smirked like a proud parent, "He's a sergeant in the Marines. But you'd know that if you went over there to talk to _him_ instead of me." With that, Mercedes handed her what was left of her large strawberry margarita, abandoned her swimsuit wrap and excused herself to join her husband in the pool.

Lauren clenched her teeth and for a moment, she considered leaving, but she looked back up at Puck again—who was giving her that devilish smirk she loved—and found her heeled feet carrying her toward the table.

Mercedes waded over to her husband and closed her arms around his middle while they not-so-subtly watched Puck and Lauren talk to each other. After a minute, they saw Lauren throw a punch at Puck's arm; Mercedes' eyes widened and Sam's jaw dropped slightly. He turned to tell Mercedes, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," but before the words left his mouth, Puck started laughing while he rubbed his arm.

The Evans couple turned away from their friends, grinning at each other. "Maybe this will work out after all."

"Yeah," Mercedes fought back the urge to let her grin widen, "and if it does, Puck can invite Lauren to Finn and Quinn's wedding in August as his date."

"Well…we can keep an eye on them tonight…at least while we're sober enough to do so."

"Ohh no—not _we_. I'm not getting drunk tonight. I'm still breastfeeding the twins. But bottoms up to you, babe."

Sam grinned, "If you insist. Just don't let me drown in the pool tonight" He bent his head to peck her lips, "_Feliz cinco de mayo_!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! By the way, the name "Xbox Quad is something I came up with out of nowhere. I have no proof or knowledge that this will be a future modelname for an Xbox system!**_


	34. Words Like Knives

_**May 15, 2023**_ (Monday)

"Okay. No, don't. I'll call mom too but if you talk to her first, just tell her to ignore him. It's not happening. Yeah…I love you too…bye."

Mercedes hung up her phone and let out an aggravated sigh. She was sitting in the recording booth, the day after her very first Mother's Day, taking a break from recording her fourth song. Her brother, Marcus, called her to deliver news that completely countered her joy of being back in the studio and happiness from her previous day with Sam and the twins.

Lauren was sitting behind the soundboard beside famed producer Rick Rubin. She had her head bowed, smiling at her own phone while Rick sat back in his chair with a bottle of water. Lauren looked up, however and noticed the troubled look on her friend's face. She pushed the button for the booth intercom, leaned towards the mic and asked, "What's up, Mercedes? Everything okay?"

With a small shake of her head, Mercedes answered back, "Not really but it will be. I just need a minute—do you guys mind?"

Lauren shook her head and Rick leaned towards the mic, "Take your time, Mercedes. You're album's coming along really well for it only being week two of recording."

There was a definite stiffness to Mercedes' smile; grateful as she was for Rick's compliment, she couldn't bring herself to cast a genuine one to him right now. She pulled her headphones off, slid off of the stool and walked out of the booth with her phone. Her fingers were already working to find her mom's cell number and call her.

"Hi baby!" Viola answered on the second ring; right away they went to a video chat. "How was your first Mother's Day?"

"It was fun. Sam made me breakfast in bed and drove me and the kids down to Venice Beach for the day."

"Awww that sounds like a great day and I hope there's pictures. Now why don't you sound happy? Or look it, for that matter. Something happen in the studio today?"

"No but it's funny you should mention pictures. I just got a call from Marcus. You didn't catch E! N News earlier, did you?"

Viola's face twisted up like she had just bit a lemon, "Honey please, you know I don't watch that trash news."

"Well apparently the paparazzi got some photos of Sam and I with the kids yesterday. They ended up in E! News' Mother's Day re-cap this morning…"

"So? You know those camera folk are always snapping pictures of you whenever you're out."

Mercedes shook her head, "That's not it, Mom. Bobby contacted them not long after. He's speaking through them to me, demanding that he meet his grandchildren."

In a matter of no time, her mother's nonchalant expression darkened to pure ferocity. "Oh did he now? The nerve of that man—thinking he can get around his restraining order like that!"

The singer let her mother rant for a moment and when her mom asked, "Did Marcus tell you anything else?" she responded, "He was quoted saying that he didn't care about the guy I married but he's entitled to know his grandkids."

"The nerve of that man!" her mother repeated vehemently. "You know what? _I'll_ call him and give him a piece of my mind!"

"No, Momma, don't. All he's gonna do is send your blood pressure up."

"It's too late for that!" she sassily replied.

Mercedes chuckled dryly, "Momma, I didn't call you to tick you off. I just wanted to know if you knew."

"Well I'm glad you called me anyway, Mercedes." Her mother's tone was sharp now, "If your father thinks—"

"He's _not_ my father. Listen, I'm gonna handle this once and for all."

Her mother's eyes widened, "Mercedes Charice Jones-Evans, you are not bringing my grandbabies near that man."

"No Momma, I'm not. I'm going to have a talk with him."

* * *

><p>After getting a hold of a contact at E!, Mercedes received her father's current phone number. She didn't recognize the area code to his number—not really caring where it was that he was living at now—and called him from a blocked number. When he answered, she kept her conversation with him brief, telling him only to keep his phone nearby for a lengthier conversation later that evening.<p>

"You gonna let me see my grandbabies?" he wondered with a gravelly voice.

"Just keep your phone nearby."

"Yeah, okay. Talk to you later, little girl."

Mercedes hung up, fuming. It took everything in her not to send her phone flying into the nearest wall as she marched back inside the studio.

Rick and Lauren were picking up their things when she entered the control room. They both looked up at the singer and rick explained, "I didn't really catch the time until we took a break. How 'bout we call it a night, eh? We'll pick up in the morning and finish laying the rest of the track down."

Mercedes nodded to him but her eyes went to Lauren, who was staring down at her phone again with the same smile plastered on her face.

"Thanks Rick. The timing couldn't have been better anyway. But I'll see you in the morning." She brought her gaze back to her friend, "You coming Lauren, or are you taking the bus home?"

"No, no! I'm coming" she said through her grin. The brunette picked up her purse and folders and followed Mercedes out of the control room. As they walked the halls Mercedes raised her brow; for a moment she could push aside thoughts of her biological dad to ask, "Alright who are you texting?" She already knew the answer but it was more enjoyable to hear her friend say it aloud.

"Please, like you don't know."

Mercedes was the one to grin now, "So you and Puck thinking about getting back together?"

"Oh please, you know I'm gonna make that boy work a little. But, I will say that some things about him haven't changed. You know what he told me?"

Mercedes shook her head and Lauren went on, "When he was going through some old stuff in his apartment last night, he found an old notebook of his where he would write random stuff in. And he came across the page where he wrote 'Big Ass Heart'." She giggled, "I can't believe he still remembered that song!"

"He sang it to you?" Mercedes asked—her grin growing. They reached her BMW.

Lauren smirked proudly, "Hell yeah he did. It sounded a little rough but let me tell you, it brought back some memories. For both of us, actually. Like he told me that after we broke up senior year, he said I was the one that got away."

"Aww. I didn't know you were into all the romantic things, Laur."

"Well, I don't like the overkill. Too much makes me gag. Literally—it's just ridic. But even I know that anyone who says they don't like a little romance now and then is a damn liar."

Mercedes chuckled, "That's true. I'm glad to hear things are going well with you and Puck though."

"Weeell, let's not get crazy. Like I said before, I'm gonna make that boy work a little. He knows it and seems a little more eager to do that this time around."

"It's that Marine in him!" insisted Mercedes with a laugh, "He's all ready to show he's the best for you and you're the lady for him."

The two continued chatting away until they reached Lauren's Santa Monica apartment.

"Thanks for the ride again, 'Cedes. Hopefully my car will be out of the shop tomorrow. I never told you this, but you were always my favorite back in glee club."

"Next to Puck," Mercedes added, smiling again.

"…Mm…nope, not even Puckerman's badass enough to outshine all the awesome you got goin' on."

The singer giggled, flattered, "Thanks Lauren. I'll see you tomorrow."

As the two parted ways and Mercedes made the drive to Beverly Hills, the temporary distraction of a flirtatious Puck and Zizes started to wear off while the reminder of her impending phone call arose. Mercedes' hands gripped her steering wheel unnecessarily tight for several miles and didn't realize it until she got home.

When she came through the front door, she was greeted with the low sound of boiling water, along with Sam speaking softly to one of their children.

"…and your Uncle Stevie loves you, and your Auntie Stacy loves you, and your Uncle Marcus loves you, and Grandpa Dwight and Grandma Mary love you, and Nana Vi and Papa J love you…" As he listed off their family members, Mercedes could hear a lip-popping kiss follow.

She smiled softly and walked further down the entry hall until she could see the inside of the kitchen to her left. Sam was holding one child in each arm, to her surprise, but both children had their resting faces turned in towards his chest while they slept.

His green eyes glanced up to meet Mercedes' pair right before he told their kids, "And Momma and Daddy love you the most." He approached his wife after triggering a smile on her face, and bent his head to give the last kiss to her. Once he pulled apart, he quietly asked her, "How was your day, Baby? By the way, I just finished making chicken alfredo, so I hope you're hungry."

Mercedes smiled weakly at him, "I am but…I have to take care of something first."

Sam's brows came together; he read the upset in her eyes and asked, "What is it?"

"Bobby Jones. That's all I'm gonna say for now."

Sam clenched his jaw, "I see." He followed her back to their bedroom, "What happened?"

As she set her purse down and sat on the bed to remove her shoes, Mercedes filled him in on the phone calls she had with her mom, brother, and her biological father. By the time she finished, her anger returned in a greater magnitude.

"Can I be with you when you call him?" Sam asked.

Mercedes looked up at him gravely but then her eyes went to their children, sleeping against his chest and she smiled. Their sleeping faces were identical—pouting bottom lips just like Sam's when he slept. "Why don't you go lay the munchkins down first?" She stood up to kiss their cheeks and faintly rub her thumb along the back of Ariesa's clenched hand before Sam turned and headed out for the nursery.

Mercedes sighed, sitting back down on the bed and redialed the number given to her, after making sure that her number would be blocked. After a few rings, her father's voice came through the receiving end. His voice was gravelly from too many years of smoking but his tone was unnecessarily friendly.

"Hey little girl, I was wonderin' when you were gonna call me back."

"Look, I'm not gonna make this a long conversation, Bobby."

"Bobby? Little girl, I'm yo daddy—don't you be callin' me by first name now. Just 'cause you grown and famous."

She clenched her hand tightly to her phone, "Okay first of all you're not my daddy and you haven't been for years. And second, age and fame haven't gone to my head so let's just make that clear right now."

There was a beat of silence before her father mumbled, "Always did have a mouth on you—just like your momma."

Her brows furrowed angrily, as she opened her mouth to retort, her eyes snapped up to her husband as he returned to the bedroom.

"You've got one hell of a way of trying to get me to let you see my children. Not that it matters anyway. I just called to personally tell you the answer is no. The answer will always be no and you need to leave me, Mom and Marcus the hell alone. Don't try talking to me through E! or any other media outlets. Don't contact my family or try to hunt down my friends to get messages to me. I don't want nothing to do with you and my children don't need you in their life. They have their grandpas—both of whom love them very much."

Sam sat down beside her and rubbed her back in a soothing manner while she spoke. But his hand slowed to a stop as he heard the irate muffled tones of her father's response.

"Fuck you! Fuck your mother and yo' brother! You's _my_ kids and those are my grandbabies, dammit! If I wanna see them, I'm gonna—you hear me? Just 'cause you winning shit, don't mean you can talk to me however you want to Mercedes Jones, do you hear me? G'on and play house with that white boy all you want. Just remember who your family is! Remember where you come from and who brought you into this world. And when that boy drops your ass for one of them skinny little Hollywood bitches, I'll _get _what's mine!"

Mercedes hung up before he could go on. Her face was stony and slightly pale, and her eyes filled with an over-abundance of moisture. She felt Sam pry her phone out of her fingers and then he closed his arms around her without a moment's hesitation. Her sternness with her dad dissolved under the protection of her husband. She squeezed her eyes shut and let herself sob quietly into his chest.

Sam didn't bother asking what was said; he had heard enough just from sitting beside her. His arms were tight around her, and after a minute or so, he whispered into her hair, "He's wrong. He couldn't be more wrong. I'm never leaving you. And DJ and Aries aren't going anywhere near him. Ever."

"I..I know, Sam. But..it still hurts. Y-y'know?" Her head stayed buried against his chest as she said this but she was fairly certain that he understood all she had said. Her air hiccupped as she continued to cry in his arms. No matter how much she tried to mentally prepare for her conversation with her father, nothing had prepared her for the verbal abuse she had just been assaulted with.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please leave reviews! Sorry this chapter ended up being so long! More to come! My plan is to cap this fic at 40 chapters or less, but we'll see! :) THANK YOU all so much for the loyalty, support, reviews, PMs, alerts, &amp; subscriptions to this fic!<strong>_


	35. Anniversary

_**June 12, 2023**_ (Monday)

The past month gradually got better for Mercedes. She wasn't one to dwell on the negative, but Bobby Jones always had a way of getting under her skin. Despite this, she was surrounded by an abundance of love to keep her head up; most of all, she had Sam—her rock—and their two children—her pride and joy.

Her progress on her album was stinted twice. The first followed the call from Bobby. He had thrown her off her game but she found her way back after a few days. The second occurred when Lauren Zizes' temporary management contract was extended. While she was thrilled to get to work closely with her old friend for a longer amount of time, Mercedes also grew frustrated and worried with not knowing what was going on with Trisha. After signing off Lauren's extension, however, Mercedes plugged on and had half of her album recorded. She, Rick and Lauren agreed to a week-long break by mid-June; it was well-deserved and Rick and Lauren knew that Mercedes and Sam would be celebrating their very first wedding anniversary.

The morning of their anniversary, Mercedes awoke to a vase of purple calla lilies and a card addressed "Benz" on her nightstand. Her lips spread into a sleepy smile as she reached for the card and pulled her nightcap off, but a floating ribbon caught her eye. She turned her head while sitting up and gasped loudly. Sam had covered their bedroom ceiling in foil and latex balloons—all of which had long, curling purple ribbons attached to them. The space above her head looked like a jungle of purple vines. Covering the surface of their bed, as well as the entirety of their floor were hundreds of white rose petals. For a brief moment, Mercedes wondered how she slept through his preparations of all this, but the greater part of her was overwhelmed in joy and amusement at what her husband had done for her.

She got out of bed to quickly brush her teeth and find him but she didn't have far to look after leaving their bathroom. Sam entered the bedroom with a small five-inch round cake and a spoon in his hands. He wore a nose-crinkling smile, along with a pair of black pajama pants and his dog tag necklace. His sage hues took in Mercedes' happy expression while he crossed the room with her. Before reaching their bed, he scooped a bit of cake from the top, set the rest of the cake beside her lilies and sat with her on her side of the bed.

"I can't believe you did all this," she told him.

Sam was offering her the spoonful of cake but he stopped and gave her a disbelieving stare, "What—seriously?"

"No," she giggled, "but I was still surprised. And a cake too? You like spoiling me and the kids, don't you?"

Sam chuckled softly, "I do. But I didn't buy the cake."

Still smiling, Mercedes arched a brow, "Oh no?" Her eyes went to the cake on the nightstand and realization crept across her face. Before she could say another word, Sam playfully pounced, pinning her to the bed with the majority of his body. He offered her the cake again, chasing her mouth with the spoon—all the while grinning down at her.

"Oh hell no—I'm not eating that!"

"Oh no?" mocked Sam. His free had crawled along her sides while his spoon-wielding hand continued chasing her mouth. "Open up, Benz!"

Mercedes giggled and squirmed beneath him, "Uh-uh! I'm not eating that—it's disgusting!"

"No it's not. It's good luck! Means we'll be together forever, so eat up!"

She laughed harder to the point where tears started to collect in her eyes, "Okay, okay!" She caved, allowing him to feed her the bite.

"Yummmm…" Sam said for her and moved off her hips to get his own bite of cake.

"I hate you," she muttered around the cake while finally catching her breath.

"Well here's to many more years of false hatred," Sam raised the spoon in the air and then stuck it in his mouth as his wife giggled at him. The next thing he knew, his lap was occupied. Her hands came around the nape of his neck, which, after eleven years still sent a tingle down his spine.

"Happy Anniversary, Evans," she murmured against his lips.

"Happy Anniversary, Benz." His hands slipped under the hem of her baby doll top to cup the familiar curves of her backside during their kiss. His fingers curled into the cotton fabric of her booty shorts when she moaned against his lips. Unfortunately their fun stopped there, when the sound of overlapping coos filled their ears.

The passion behind their kiss lessened and Mercedes muttered, "Damn." She chuckled softly and got up from his lap, leading the way to the nursery where their four month-old children were impatiently waiting.

Sam went to Ariesa while Mercedes walked to the far crib to get Dante. "Aw, well look who's happy to see me," said Sam. He lifted Ariesa high in the air as her coos faded. She looked down at her daddy with a large, toothless smile that made Sam respond with a soft, masculine giggle. When he lowered her to his chest, his lips found the top of her head and he toted her to her changing table.

"Good morning, Son!" Mercedes softly cheered, causing Dante to giggle. Of the two Evans children, he was definitely seen smiling more often than his sister. His features were a bit chubbier, and his hair had begun to curl a tad, where Ariesa's bronze-brown tuft remained fair and straight. They both still shared Sam's smile and Mercedes' button nose, but their personalities were beginning to differ.

Dante loved bath time but hated when it ended; that meant enduring being dried off and dressed again. Ariesa on the other hand, fussed through her baths but calmed down once she was dry again. Dante was becoming a clear Momma's Boy while Ariesa basked in her daddy's arms. Both babies were undeniably in love with both their parents, especially when both or either adult would sing to them. And both of them loved car rides.

"Oh, I got bottles ready for them by the way," Sam said as he finished changing Ariesa.

Dante let out a babbling squeal and Mercedes laughed, picking him up from his changing table. "I think that was a 'thank you, Daddy!'" she giggled, nuzzling the side of his face.

As they left the room, Mercedes spoke to Dante, "We need to get you and your sister ready, so Daddy and I can get ready too."

Behind her, Sam arched a sandy brown brow, "Ready for what, Momma?"

Mercedes gave a fleeting glance over her shoulder, casting a knowing smile at him, "Your anniversary surprises."

Sam grinned and looked back to Ariesa to playfully whisper, "Do you know what it is, Princess?" He turned an ear to Ariesa, but his daughter's response was to grip the chain of his dog tag.

Mercedes laughed, watching Sam carefully pry her fingers off the chain. "DJ and Ariesa are sworn to secrecy, Babe. But don't worry—good things come for those who wait."

* * *

><p>After breakfast, bath time and alternating turns in the shower, Sam and Mercedes, along with their children were ready for the day. With Ariesa dressed in a red onesie and a denim dress and matching hat, and Dante clad in a white onesie with Looney Tunes short-alls, Sam and Mercedes strapped them in their car seats of Sam's Tahoe.<p>

Mercedes drove while Sam sat in the passenger's seat, striking up a game of 20 Questions to figure out his surprise.

"Is it bigger than a bread box?"

Mercedes pursed her lips and briefly eyed him out of the side of her sunglasses, "If it weren't, do you think we'd be driving to go get it?"

"…You know, you're only supposed to give 'yes' or 'no' answers," he replied with a poke at her nose.

Mercedes giggled softly, "Alright."

Sam went on, "Are we going far?"

"Nope."

"Can I eat it?"

"No," she answered with a scrunched up nose.

Sam chuckled, "Okay um…am I going to like it?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes."

His expression grew dark as he started noticing the freeway signs for the LAX. "We're not getting on a plane, are we? 'Cause I didn't bring any Dramamine, Baby."

"No, we're not getting on a plane. If we were, I'd have your Dramamine."

"Good…" he pursed his lips thoughtfully and then asked, "Are we picking someone up from the airport?"

Mercedes smiled and shrugged. Sam's excitement grew but he mocked her shrug, telling her, "This," shrug, "is not a 'yes' or 'no' answer. We really need to work on your way of playing 20 Questions."

His wife simply shrugged again and he groaned, "Okay, okay. Is it Puck?"

"No."

"Mike?"

"Nope."

"Artie?"

"No! Why am I gonna give you a bro's day with our friends for our anniversary?" She shook her head at him while exiting for the arrival/drop off lanes. As they approached, Mercedes smirked, "Okay close your eyes."

"But—"

"_Sam_…"

"Alright." To reassure his wife, he placed both hands across the bridge of his nose.

Mercedes pulled up to the curb and parked. He heard her door open and shut, and soon after his door opened, he heard her say, "Okay…open!"

Sam removed his hands and grinned. His sister and brother were standing directly behind his wife. It was the first time he had seen his sister since February, when she and his parents had flown out to meet the twins. As for Stevie, he hadn't seen him since the wedding.

"Surprise!" Stacy squeaked and threw her arms around her sister-in-law and brother. She was quick to get her hugs out of the way so she could tend to her sleeping niece and nephew.

Sam then went to hug his brother, who had been out of his dress blues and into a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His bag was on one shoulder and a short, rectangular box was tucked underneath his other arm. "This is from Mom and Dad, for you guys."

"When did you get home from Key West?" Sam asked, accepting the box.

"Two nights ago. I'll be home through Christmas this time. By the way," he looked to his sister-in-law, "Thanks for sending me those pictures of the twins, 'Cedes." He smirked at her, not unlike the way Sam would.

"They are sooo cute!" squealed Stacy from the back seats of the Tahoe.

"Hey Twerp!" Stevie sternly called, "Come get your bag before it gets left behind.

Stacy balked and called back, "You wouldn't do that!"

"Wanna bet?"

"Ohh boy," interrupted Sam. He looked to his wife, "Two minutes off the plane and they're already at each other's throats." He picked up Stacy's suitcase and wandered to the rear of his car with his brother to put their things in the back. Stevie and Stacy continued to bicker their way to the rear bench seats, until Dante and Ariesa woke up from their car ride nap.

Both younger Evans siblings buttoned their lips as their niece and nephew began to cry.

"Good job, Stevie!" hissed Stacy.

"Me? You're the one that was yelling like a drill sergeant," he replied in a cool tone. He ignored his sister's gawking expression and muttered, "Sorry Sam, 'Cedes."

"Yeah, sorry," Stacy echoed sadly.

Mercedes shook her head chuckling, "It's okay you guys. They'll calm down once we get back on the road."

Sam had resumed his spot in the passenger's seat but twisted around to slip Dante and Ariesa's pacifiers back in their mouths. Sure enough, both children settled down as the SUV peeled away from the curb, heading back to Beverly Hills.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Splitting this chapter in 2!<strong>_


	36. Looking Ahead

_**June 12, 2023**_ (continued)

After a late lunch, Sam drove the six of them to a local photography studio. Though he hadn't accounted for his brother and sister's arrival, he was glad to have them included in his second surprise for Mercedes—a family photo shoot. For over an hour, a variety of group photos were taken an almost every one of them included Dante and Ariesa. Sam and Mercedes took a few couples' photos, as well as photos of them with their kids, but the rest of the photos included everyone.

When they finished, all of them made a brief stop to Sam and Mercedes' condo. While Stevie and Stacy watched their niece and nephew in the living room, Mercedes told Sam that the second surprise she had for them required he pack an overnight bag. He listened and set his packed bag on the bed beside him while tying the boots to his Doc Martens. The entire day, he had been wearing a nice pair of denim pants and a fitted white v-neck; he added a black leather jacket, picked up his bag and got up to wait in the living room with his children and siblings, but stopped when he heard the bathroom door open.

His gaze locked on Mercedes and her new outfit—black skinny jeans and a white corset top that was only slightly covered by a black leather jacket with ruched three quarter-length sleeves. He watched Mercedes walk across the sea of rose petals with that confident strut that made him lick his lips while he looked her up and down. For a second, Sam channeled Scooby Doo and muttered, "Ruh-oh!"

Mercedes laughed and playfully pushed at his chest, "I'm glad you like it." After a quick peck on his lips, she added, "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Shucks, Baby. You're gonna turn me all sorts 'a red."

She giggled softly at him again and then grabbed her bag and purse. Together, she and Sam headed back out with their siblings and children.

"Do I get to guess where we're going this time?" asked a hopeful Sam.

"Definitely _not_," Mercedes replied without a moment's hesitation. Once again, he didn't have to wait very long to find out, because they were soon pulling up to the Beverly Hills Hotel. Stacy and Mercedes took the babies out of the car while Sam and Stevie took care of all the bags and the twins' pack 'n play. The valet drove their car to the hotel's lot and as soon as it pulled away, the six were momentarily stopped by the paparazzi.

"Mercedes! Sam! Can we have a moment?"

"Happy Anniversary you two?"

"Spending your anniversary with your family? That's sweet!"

"What are your plans for the evening?"

"Who's this with you?"

"These are your brother and sister, right Sam?"

They fired one question after another and initially none of them gave an answer, but the incessant flashing of lights startled Ariesa to tears. Mercedes held her protectively in her arms while an agitated Sam told the group of photographers, "Come on, guys—lay off."

"Just answer us this—what have you two done for your first anniversary?"

"What are your names, kids?" one asked, moving in on Stevie and Stacy. Stevie took a guarded stance in front of his sister and nephew while Sam angrily ushered them all towards the lobby doors.

"Back off!" he barked, losing his patience quickly.

"Whoa, Hot Head Evans! Come on, give us a family photo op!"

"Not likely," spat Mercedes.

Finally, the six reached the hotel entrance, thankful that the paparazzi weren't allowed inside. Mercedes let out a sigh while both of her children wailed from the assault. She tried to calm Ariesa down but her eyes glanced up at Sam and she frowned. In a matter of seconds, his excitement from the day had been wiped clean off his face and replaced with a deeply aggravated expression.

Mercedes stood in front of him and reached up to cup his cheek, "Hey." She could feel the tense lock on his jaw against her fingertips.

Sam turned his head and looked down at her with an intense gaze. "Are you alright."

"I'm fine. Are _you_ alright?"

He gave one sharp nod and muttered, "I just hate how inconsiderate they are, and it's so hard not to bust their jaws for it—teach them a lesson."

"Well as much as I agree with you, I'm glad you didn't." Ariesa and Dante were still fussing, but Mercedes could hear Stevie and Stacy working together to calm down Dante. Thinking quickly, Mercedes asked Sam, "Can you hold her while I get us all checked in?"

Sam nodded again, still looking irate; he set their bags down at his feet and reached for his daughter. Mercedes handed her over, knowing how irresistible the twins were to him. She checked them all in at the front desk—having made reservations well in advance—and took the room keys with her back to her family. Her lips curled up, seeing Sam smile again; when she got close enough, she heard him spouting threats to the paparazzi in the friendliest tone he possessed. While his words were nonsensical to Ariesa, she was smiling and occasionally giggling at him.

Mercedes shook her head, "You're ridiculous."

"And you love me anyway," replied Sam with a smirk. Mercedes picked up the bags but was soon relieved by a bellhop. The six were escorted to the elevator, up several floors and to a room. Mercedes used one of the four keys she was handed and opened the door. It was a decent-sized room and after getting the twins' pack 'n play set up, Mercedes began to give Stevie and Stacy an uninterrupted rundown on their sleeping habits, as well as need-to-know information. She finished by saying, "Order whatever you guys want and if you need anything, we'll have our phones but you know where we'll be at."

She winked and Stacy grinned widely; Stevie smirked at his niece in his arms, but told Mercedes, "Well…at least this will give me practice with baby care."

"Yeah since the last time we saw you hold a baby, you looked scared out of your mind," teased Stacy.

"Well," countered Stevie, "Not all of us practiced parenting with dolls until we were _thirteen_, Twerp."

Stacy's eyes widened—her cheeks growing red. She huffed and stalked off to check on Dante. All the while, Sam was staring at Mercedes with a confused expression.

"I don't get it…aren't we staying here?"

Mercedes looked at him, "Something like that." Her gaze then went to her siblings-in-law, "See you guys tomorrow."

After scooping up hers and Sam's bags with a knowing smile, she sauntered out of the room. Sam followed.

They got back on the elevator until they were at the top floor—made up entirely of larger suites. She swiped the key and let them inside. The room had a gold theme, from ceiling-to-floor; a brass cart stood in the center of the main room with something on the top that Sam couldn't see from the front door. He started to wander towards it but Mercedes stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Why don't you put our things in the bedroom? I just need to do one thing and then everything will be ready. But stay_ out_ of my bag!"

Sam's brows rose curiously but her obeyed while she fiddled with her cell phone. She found the playlist she had assembled, set it to 'shuffle' and set the phone down over on the brass tray.

It was just in time for Sam's return because the sound of Heatwave's "Always & Forever" started playing softly in the common room space. Sam smiled at his wife's open arms and he neared her until he could pull her close for a slow dance. For a moment, his eyes looked to the cart and he finally saw its content: a plate of white chocolate-dipped strawberries and a chilled bottle of chardonnay. A small card from the hotel simply read, "Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. Evans."

Sam kissed the top of Mercedes' head and listened to her softly hum along to the sweet love song. The entire playlist consisted of ballads from their wedding day, and then some.

While the playlist progressed and played Luther Vandross' "Here and Now", Mercedes looked up to tell Sam, "I love you, Sam Evans."

"I love you too, Benz Evans." He grinned softly and added, "Until the end."

Her rich chocolate hues were still looking up in his jade pair, "There was something else I wanted to give you for our anniversary."

"Oh?" He fought a smirk and lost, "It's not in your bag, is it?"

"No," she replied through soft giggles. "The stuff in my bag's the alternative gift for tonight."

"Ah, well in that case, let me thank you now."

"You don't want to know what the other gift was gonna be?"

"Of course I do," he mumbled while kissing her neck now.

"A house."

She felt Sam's grazing lips halt, and then his head rose again. "A house?"

Mercedes smiled sheepishly, "Well...yeah. A ranch house." She watched the confused creases on Sam's forehead deepen, and she went on to explain. "It's just that…well we know we can't raise the kids in the condo—they can't share a room for forever, and I don't want you to have to give up your office. But I don't like us not having room for our family and friends when they come to visit. But my biggest reason for wanting this for you and our family is…"

She bit her lip while Sam patiently waited for her to continue. One of her hands slipped from around his torso so she could press her fingertips to the side of his face, "I watch and listen to you tell Ariesa and Dante about your childhood, growing up in Tennessee with the animals and the open space…you always get this smile on your face when you talk about it and it always makes me want that for them."

Sam's features smoothed out; his cheeks turned a faint pink and he asked, "So you want to move to a ranch?"

"Well not _tomorrow_." She got a soft chuckle from him with that, "But…someday, yes."

"When the time's right," Sam thought aloud. He glanced down at met Mercedes' contagious smile with one of his own. "You know, there aren't a lot of properties like that in LA."

"Well…I love California, and being down here's convenient for our jobs and all, but who says we have to stay in LA?"

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><p><em><strong>Leave me love please! I'm very grateful for reviews. Only 1 more chapter after this before I bring "Flash Forward" to a conclusion. I hope you all have been enjoying this jump to Sam &amp; Mercedes' future together. :)<strong>_


	37. Epilogue

*****SPOILER ALERT*** For anyone who is reading my spin-off fanfic "Future Fuinn Fabrudson" you may not want to read this epilogue just yet. You've been warned! ;)**

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><p><strong>6 Years Later…<strong>

_**July 7, 2029**_ (Saturday)

Mercedes stood in the kitchen, sprinkling a little extra pepper on the potato salad she made that day. Even though it was about 2 years late, she and Sam were holding a house-warming party for their newly built Northern California ranch house. After buying the property, Sam, his father and a hired contractor got to re-modeling the land. Sam and Dwight Evans primarily focused on constructing a stable barn and staging the majority of the land for horses. Simultaneously, the contractor and his team worked closely with Mercedes to build hers and Sam's 6-bedroom, 4 bathroom dream home from the ground up. At the time, she was writing for her sixth album and stayed in Beverly Hills with their kids, but she still managed to be heavily involved in the planning.

Things got a bit hectic for a while—between their careers, commuting up and down the state for house work, and tending to their young children, Sam and Mercedes grew stressed and overwhelmed. Their mothers took turns, flying out for extensive visits to help take care of their grandchildren while their children tried to lighten their loads.

Eventually, things smoothed out; Sam and Mercedes wrapped up their work projects just as their new home was move-in ready. Decorating the home was another lengthy process but it too eventually was completed. As planned, the Evans couple blended the nostalgic charm of Sam's Tennessee memories with some modern alterations. The two-story estate donned a plantation home style; the front had a wide porch, complete with swing; tall, white first story pillars to support the second story balconies, and beautiful greet trees and shrubs. The backyard had a wide deck, extending from the rear of the house with a small number of steps at its end that led to the open field and horse stables. On the deck was a raise fire pit, Jacuzzi tub and outdoor kitchen—all of which were requests from Mercedes. And in the last year, they had purchased several Thoroughbred horses—the first couple, being a present to Sam from his wife, and the others were Christmas presents to the young Evans children.

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><p>Mercedes thought back to that Christmas as she stood in the kitchen, pulling open a drawer to find a serving spoon for the potato salad dish. She stuck in a wooden spoon and started to lift it off the counter but a nauseating pain in her stomach had her setting the large bowl back down. Her stomach had been bothering her all morning but she was doing her best to ignore it; the backyard was buzzing with the voices of her nearest and dearest, and she wasn't going to let her stomach keep her from enjoying their company.<p>

As she started looking for saltines to nibble on, she heard two distinct sets of footsteps approaching. One was heavier and slower, compared to the quick tapping cadence that preceded them.

"Momma! Momma! Up!" demanded a sweet, dimple-cheeked two-year old. Callie Evans was the youngest of Sam and Mercedes' children; she had caramel-colored skin like her older siblings and a head of curls that bounced as she ran directly for her mother. Following behind her was her Grandpa Dwight.

"Aww you beat me, kiddo!" he said to Callie with false disappointment.

Mercedes had lifted the little girl off the ground and held her to her hip, long enough to kiss her cheek. "Were you racing grandpa?"

Callie nodded and giggled. "I win! I win!"

Mercedes and Dwight laughed but Dwight's laughs came to an abrupt end when he eyed the bowl on the counter. "Ooo…that wouldn't happen to be your tasty potato salad, would it, Mercedes?"

She smiled, "Why yes it would, Mr. Evans. Would you take it outside with the rest of the food for me?"

He sidled up to the counter and grabbed the bowl happily. "Don't mind if I do, m'dear. Oh, and Sam's lookin' for ya out back."

"Thanks," she said, following him out of the kitchen, through the family room and out to the deck. Out in the open field, not terribly far in the distance, she could see her eldest children—Dante and Ariesa—running around, playing tag with their cousins, Sophia and Sawyer, all the while being watched over by Burt Hummel and Jeremy Owens. Her eyes went to her left, towards the horse stables where Lizzie Anderson and Mach 3, both now 11 years old, were riding two of the horses along with Puck, Marcus and Finn. The rest of their family and friends were scattered on the deck and inside the house.

Mercedes set Callie down and watched the little girl rundown the deck's steps to try and join her siblings and cousins. Meanwhile, the singer wandered over to her husband who was manning the outdoor kitchen's grill. His hair was cropped short, save the top which was styled much like how he had worn it the entirety of his high school year back at McKinley. He had also grown fond of a light five o'clock shadow and had been maintaining it—along with his athletic physique—for a while now.

He was just finishing up, flipping some burgers when he looked up and smiled at his wife. "Hey baby. Feels like I haven't seen you since we got out of bed this morning." He bent his head to peck her lips and felt her return the gesture.

"Mm, I know. We've both just been so busy with the party. But I think after we get everyone fed, things will chill out." Another unsettling churn of her stomach had her holding it while her face contorted.

Sam noticed and reached out to rub her arm in a soothing manner. "You alright?"

She nodded, "Yeah. My stomach's just been giving me trouble today. Probably just hungry or something."

"Well…" he opened the grill lid again, "the hot dogs are done and the first round of burgers are almost there. You want a hot dog?"

Mercedes shook her head, "It's okay. I wanna eat when everyone else does. I'll just get a water or something for now." She tried to reassure his concerned expression with a smile and playful poke of his cheeks. "Thank you, babe. I love you."

"I love you too, Benz."

She went for one of the coolers but before she could lift the lid, she heard the door bell ring. "I got it!" she called out, making her way back through the house. Her hand smoothed down her zebra-printed dolman top before she reached the door and when she opened it, her stomach nausea was forgotten and a wide smile spread across her face.

"Rachel! Jesse—hi!"

Both Broadway vets smiled and returned the greeting as they took turns hugging Mercedes. Rachel had her hair back in a loose braid and was sporting an obvious baby bump, while Jesse had grown his hair out, a lot like how it had been when they all first met.

"Mercedes, this house is gorgeous! Really, you and Sam did a great job!" gushed Rachel.

Mercedes giggled, "Girl, you're barely in the door. Why don't you come and see the rest of it, and then you can tell me what you think."

"Ooookaaay," Rachel replied, giggling also. She grabbed Jesse's hand and stepped inside but the two didn't make it far inside.

"Uh…hold up, Rachel." Mercedes brows were high on her forehead while gaze was locked on Rachel's left hand. "Is that an engagement ring?"

"Actually, Mercedes, it's a wedding ring," corrected Jesse with a proud smirk.

Mercedes' eyes bugged. "What? When?"

Rachel grinned, "A couple weeks ago. We wanted to surprise everyone, but…Jesse and I got married in New York."

"And where was my invitation to the ceremony?"

Rachel quickly frowned, "I'm sorry Mercedes! Really, we would've had a bigger ceremony but—"

"But we really only invited our parents.

Mercedes' features were confused and slightly wary but she told them both, "Well..congratulations you two." She smoothed out her features, saving more questions on their quiet marriage for later. "How are you feeling these days though, Rachel?"

"I'm good. Being pregnant hasn't been too bad so far."

"Do you guys know what you're having yet?"

Jesse smiled, "Not yet. We're gonna be surprised."

"But," added Rachel, "I think it's a girl."

Mercedes smiled, "Awww a mini Rachel? I don't think the world's ready for that!"

The three laughed softly and then Mercedes said, "Everyone's…everywhere at the moment but we're gonna eat soon. Rachel, I tried to get some vegan-friendly stuff for you, but—"

"Oh it's okay, Mercedes. Until this little boy or girl is born, I've been sticking to more of a vegetarian diet. It was hard for me to keep me and the baby properly nourished when I wasn't eating any meat or dairy."

Before Mercedes had a chance to show them around the house, or to the yard at least, her mother, Viola came hurrying into the room.

"Is that Ms. Rachel Berry, I hear?"

Rachel turned around and smiled. "Hi Ms. Jones. Actually it's Mrs. St. James now."

Mercedes' mom had the same reaction she did, but she quickly made to hug her daughter's old friend. "Congratulations, baby!"

She swept Rachel away, into the living room where Mary Evans, Stacy Evans, Tina Chang, Carole Hummel, and Brittany S. Pierce were gathered. Meanwhile Mercedes offered to show Jesse to the backyard.

"There's beer, water and soda in the coolers and the rest of the food's being put on the counter next to Sam. Help yourself to whatever you like, and thanks again for coming, Jesse."

He nodded with a courteous smile, "Thanks for having me, Mercedes. Your house is…impressive."

She smiled back and he went over towards Sam while she wandered over to converse with Santana, Blaine, Lauren and Artie—all of whom were gathered near the Jacuzzi with drinks. Sitting in Blaine's lap was Kurt and in Kurt's lap was their nine month-old son, Preston Burt Anderson. They had recently finished up finalizing his adoption from Nigeria, and like Lizzie when she was an infant, they hardly ever put him down.

"You're crazy!"

"Nope. I'm in love."

"What am I walking in on?" asked Mercedes as she sat down.

Santana jumped the gun to explain, "Your manager over here said she'd procreate with Puckerman." Her face was a look of disgust.

Mercedes laughed at Santana's expression, "So what? They're practically married and they'd be good parents."

"_Thank you_, Mercedes!" said Lauren, throwing her hands up.

"I'm curious though…what happened to strictly being Auntie Lauren?"

Lauren shrugged, "A girl can change her mind, can't she? Besides, time's a 'ticking and my biological clock will be up soon."

"I dunno," said Blaine casually. "A lot of women are having children later in life nowadays."

Lauren shook her head, "Not this one. We're all in our mid-30's which is plenty ripe enough for me. I'm not trying to be the mom that picks up my kid from kindergarten with a walker and Depends—thank you very much."

The group of friends laughed.

"How come you and Brittany aren't having any kids, Santana?" asked Artie as he took a swig of beer.

"We don't want any," she replied in a matter-of-factly tone. "I don't want a bubble belly and tearing up my vag to push a kid out isn't happening. And Britts is plenty happy with the kids she gets paid to take care of. But we'd be glad to babysit any of your rugrats once they're old enough to know how to wipe their own butts and not stick forks in sockets."

Kurt was only half attentive to the conversation as he bounced Preston on his knee, but he asked, "Where's Quinn at?"

Mercedes pointed up towards the second story, "In one of the guest rooms taking a nap with Cole."

"Not anymore."

Their heads all turned as Quinn emerged from the sliding back door, holding the hand of her three year-old son, Cole Christopher Hudson. He had fine, pale brown hair and a face that was nearly identical to Finn's, but half of it was covered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Hi Coley!" said Mercedes with her arms spread open.

Cole let go of his mom's hand and let his short legs carry him over to the singer. "Hi Aunt 'Cedes," he replied in his tiny, toddler tone. He feebly returned the hug and then hopped off her lap to quickly return to his mother.

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><p>"Food's up!" called Sam.<p>

Gradually everyone made their way over to the right half of the deck, forming a line to go through the buffet of potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, green salad, hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, potato chips, and raw veggies. The parents all got their children's plates taken care of first, and then they made their own plates, taking seats at the table set up on the deck and the ones on the field near it. In between bites, everyone was buzzing with their own conversations, talking about the past, the present and possibilities for their futures.

Sam was sitting next to Callie, making sure she ate some fruit and veggies with her hot dog. Unlike her siblings, she hated vegetables, but that day, Sam secretly bribed her with a promise of a popsicle later if she ate all the celery and carrots on her plate. Callie was reluctant at first, but after she saw Sam eating his, she warily chanced a few nibbles of her carrots.

"Eat, Daddy!" she said, thrusting a celery stick in his face.

Sam shook his head, "_You_ eat it, Baby Girl. I have mine, see?" He picked up a piece of celery from his plate to show her and she pouted at him, tossing it down on her plate and picking up another carrot instead.

He smiled and shook his head at her and went back to eating while keeping a close eye on her.

"So you're really loving being a dad, Sam?" asked Jesse from across the table.

Sam's smile softened, "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Your kids seem pretty well behaved—even if your little one there's rejecting celery."

Callie noticed Jesse staring, amused by her, and she buried her face shyly into Sam's side.

Sam laughed softly, "Well they aren't always on their best behavior—trust me."

"Oh really?" chimed in a curious Rachel.

"Really. Actually…on DJ and Ariesa's first day of kindergarten, Ariesa got sent home with a citation."

Sam caught Ariesa staring at her dad from one of the nearby tables with reddening cheeks.

Rachel's amusement changed to confusion, "A citation? What for?"

"For doing impressions of her teacher, Miss Price."

Jesse laughed lowly while Rachel's lips spread, "Well, well…sounds like _someone_'s becoming just like her daddy, isn't she?" She looked to Jesse and said, "When we were in high school, Sam did all sorts of impressions. He even tried impressing Santana and Quinn with them a few times but…well, needless to say, Mercedes was the one who he got the most laughs out of with them.

Now Sam's cheeks were pink like both of his daughters'. "They were gonna work on _someone_. It just took me a few times to find the right someone."

"So that's what got you into doing voice-overs?" asked Jesse.

Sam nodded, "Yeah. But I'm kind of taking a break from things right now. Working on a project of my own for a little while."

"Oooo, can you tell us about it?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, um…I'm creating my own cartoon series for kids. It's in really really early stages right now, but I've been trying to get the characters and stuff together. Just something to do for the kids to really appreciate, y'know?"

"That's amazing!"

"Seriously," agreed Jesse. "I'm sure whatever you come up with will be a new favorite kids' show. And hey, if you ever do a musical episode, you know who to call for vocals."

He winked and Sam and Rachel laughed, "I'll definitely give you guys a call. I kind of thought about doing a couple music-filled episodes so don't take your offer off the table."

"Really, Sam?" Rachel's face lit up. "I've always thought voice acting would be so much fun! I mean you get to portray a character without being seen so there's a real challenge in that style of acting, I think. I for one would love that opportunity if you got your cartoon show going."

"If all goes well," said Sam, picking up his celery stick again, "consider it a done deal."

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><p>After dinner, fruit tarts, Jell-o and popsicles were brought out for dessert. Everyone was scattered about, enjoying the cooler weather and refreshing desserts as the sun started to set. Sam was sitting on the deck steps with Ariesa, Sophia, Finn, Cole, and Puck. Sam noticed Puck was giving a hard stare at his little sister, and Sam's younger brother, Stevie.<p>

"Um…you okay there, man?" he asked nudging the Marine vet with his knee.

Puck shook his head, "My sister and your brother are looking real cozy over there by the stables, don't you think?"

Sam followed Puck's gaze to the stables. He saw his twenty-five year-old brother, Stevie leaning on the fence with Puck's little sister, twenty-six year-old Esther Puckerman smiling at him. He chuckled, "So they're getting to know each other—big deal. And Esther came to San Diego to visit you. Her being here today and meeting my kid brother was just a coincidence. What—you don't trust my brother?"

"No, that's not it," muttered Puck. "Your brother's cool."

Sam raised his brows, "Then…you don't trust your sister?"

"That's not…Ugh!" Flustered, Puck threw his hands up and nearly lost his popsicle. "She's my _little_ sister! I'm being robbed of crazy protective big brother duties!"

The blond male shook his head, "Man when Stacy and her boyfriend made it past the six month mark, I stopped with the crazy protective brother act. So give yourself give more months and maybe you'll start cooling off."

Puck grumbled under his breath and Sam watched his brother and Puck's sister in amusement until Callie came running over to him.

"Daddy where Momma?" she asked, tugging on his tan Bermuda shorts.

Sam lowered his Jell-o laden spoon from his mouth and looked around. He spotted just about everyone—either at the stables or nearby—except for his wife. "That's…a good question, Baby Girl. I'm gonna go look. Wanna come?"

Callie shook her head, "No."

He chuckled, rolling his eyes, "Okay. I'll go find her." His gaze then went to Finn and Puck, "Can you guys keep an eye on her?"

"Sure thing dude," replied Finn. "There's plenty of us out here—she'll be fine."

Sam smirked, "Thanks," and headed inside. Aside from the living room T.V. being left on, it was quiet inside the house. He wandered into the kitchen but it was empty. "Mercedes?"

He checked the dining room and his office, and then chanced the two guest rooms—all of which were empty. Sam grew slightly worried as he climbed the stairs. He checked all of the kids' rooms and the third guest room before ending at their bedroom.

"Mercedes?"

He heard a series of coughs from the bathroom and took quicker strides until he pushed the door open and saw his wife hunched over a toilet, holding her hair to the nape of her neck with one hand. Quickly, Sam knelt by her side and held her hair for her while his other hand rubbed her back.

"Hey, are you okay?" he quietly asked—his voice full of concern.

"I don't know," she croaked.

Sam reached up to flush the toilet and then helped her to her feet. He stayed close while she rinsed her mouth out with water, and then mouth wash.

"Do you think you're sick?"

"I hope not."

He bit his lip and after several seconds of silence, he whispered, "Do you think you're pregnant?"

Mercedes was in the middle of drying her mouth off on a towel but her hands stopped. She looked at him and then slowly lowered the towel away. "I…"

He could see her staring up while loosely mouthing numbers or days of the week.

"You could be," he finally said. "I mean we have been kinda…"

"…Frisky?" she suggested.

He chuckled and blushed, "Yeah. Frisky."

"But if I'm not, I wonder what it could be…"

Sam shrugged, "Food poisoning? Nervousness?"

"Nervousness?"

"Yeah. From hosting this party. I mean when's the last time we had a party this big?"

"Uh…last year?" she said with a tone of obviousness. "For Callie's first birthday?"

"Yeah but that was at Happy Hollow. We didn't have to do much entertaining when the entertainment was all around the zoo."

Mercedes started walking back into their bedroom and sat down on their bed with a sigh. She reached inside her side table drawer and pulled out a small photo album. Sam sat down next to her while she started slowly turning through it. The first picture was from their wedding reception, and after that was a photo of them in St. Lucia for their honeymoon. She smiled at the photos of them in New York for Halloween later that year, and giggled, "Remember you were supposed to wear tights that year?"

"Yeeah but that wasn't happening. The sweats were good enough."

Mercedes giggled again and continued on, through Christmas and up to the twins' birth. There was a photo of Sam holding Dante; Sam was sleeping in the hospital chair and Dante was sleeping on his chest with his lips stretched in a tiny "O" for a yawn. A few more candid photos followed up to Dante and Ariesa's first birthday, which was super hero/super villain-themed. Sam was dressed up like Captain America and Mercedes was Vixen; they dressed Dante like The Riddler and Ariesa was Ms. Marvel.

Sam laughed, "Ah man they hated their masks."

As Mercedes kept on flipping through photos of their family, he looked at her face and asked, "If you are pregnant again…is that something you're ready for?"

Ironically, she stopped on a photo Sam had taken of her when she was very pregnant with Callie. She was smiling with her tongue sticking out at him. Her eyes lingered on the photo while she felt Sam's eyes still on her.

"Four kids under the age of ten…" she realized.

"I know," sighed Sam. "We're on our way to be the next Brad and Angelina."

Mercedes shoved him playfully but she also smiled.

"We wanted a big family. We've said that for a long time, babe so if I am pregnant then I'm ready."

Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her close and kissed her temple.

"Are _you_ going to be ready?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah. I'm just hoping for a boy this time—Dante and I getting outvoted for the T.V. is starting to get a little old."

Mercedes laughed and pinched his side. "Don't act like you don't love our girly shows."

"If I'm acting, I want my Oscar in the mail, pronto!"

He smirked at her peal of laughs and stood up, taking the photo album from her hand to set it on the bed to leave it behind. His arm remained around her shoulders and her hand hugged him from the back as they continued on with their "If" statements.

"If I'm pregnant, we wait until we know for sure before we tell anyone."

"If you're pregnant, then I agree."

"And if I'm pregnant, we're going to have to turn one of the guest rooms up here into a bedroom."

"If you're pregnant, we can definitely do that. And if you're pregnant, we're going to have to choose names again."

"If I'm pregnant, and we'll have to choose names again, I think we'll be able to come up with a name we both love, like always."

"If you're having a boy, I'm campaigning for R2D2 Evans."

Mercedes stopped, right as they reached the sliding door. "If you push that name for our baby, you're sleeping in the stables with the horses."

Sam lost his composure and started laughing. He moved to stand in front of the door with his back to the glass and faced his wife. One of his hands reached up to a curly lock of her weave from her face and after his hand lowered to his side, he spent a moment just exchanging adoring gazes with his wife. "If you're sick, I'll be here to help you get better. And if our family's growing, we'll take things one day at a time, like we always do."

Mercedes nodded—her plump, heart-shaped lips smiling up at him. She reached up to gently tug on his shirt collar and when he understood her intent, she stood on her toes to meet his lips. They shared a sweet, lasting kiss and then slowly pulled apart.

"I love you, Evans."

"And I love you, Benz."

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><p><em><strong>Fin.<strong>_

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><p><em><strong>Please, please, please leave me reviews! This is the final official chapter of Flash Forward. I will be adding a "chapter" of Author's Notes very soon. This will mostly consist of things I realized I didn't mention in previous chapters, as well as background info and little future "glimpses" of where our Glee alums &amp; co. go from here.<strong>_


	38. Author's Notes

_**Author's Notes: The following are random notes, thoughts, explanations, etc. from yours truly. I tried to go back through each chapter and think about if there were things I forgot to explain or if there were things that could have/should have been elaborated on a little more. So I'll kind of be jumping around with a list of things some of you may or may not want to know about this fic—details that pertain to what's already been written, as well as what was never written.**_

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><p>-First off, I just want to say, <em><strong>THANK YOU<strong>_! To each and every single one of you who have been reading this fic, liking my update posts about it on Tumblr, signing up for Author & Story Alerts, "Favorite"-ing this fic and messaging me about it. One thing that I can never fully write out is my extensive gratitude for the feedback I receive on my writing. And I truly to mean it when I say that your reviews mean a lot to me. They lift my spirits and encourage me to keep on writing, and it really bummed me out to see how many people were sad to see this come to an end. But at the same time, it made me smile to know that this fic gained so many loyal readers/supporters!

-Second, I know that there was at least one person who was disappointed by the lack of smut in this fic & the fact that I rated the fic "M" for mature. I do want to explain myself a little bit on this. First of all, Flash Forward was the very first multi-chapter fanfic I had ever written. "On My Way" wasn't intended to have 2 parts, and "Bella Notte" is a one-shot. But when I started writing Flash Forward, I checked the ratings on and here's what it says for the "M" rating: "Contains content suitable for mature teens and older". At the time, I didn't know that the "MA" rating wasn't an option to choose for fanfics, so I went with "M", thinking that if I did dive into heavy topics or sexual fic writing, I would have my bases covered.

I had no idea that it was going to end up being nearly 40 chapters with nearly 100,000 words. I also had no idea how long/far I was going to follow Sam and Mercedes' future lives but there were some key things that I wanted to get to: their marriage, their families (parents and siblings), their sustained friendships, and their early parenthood time. Now for them to become parents like I wanted, they were, of course, going to have sex. I love and respect that there's all sorts of ways to convey a plot and make things happen in a story. But for me personally, I know that I don't do well writing smut for Samcedes. I over-think things and get frustrated and end up scrapping it, 9 times out of 10. There's more reasons why I don't write smut for them often, if ever, but what I said before is the main reason. And going back to the rating, the way I see it, yes I suppose I could have rated it "T" but my "M" rating of this fic was appropriate.

-Also, I sincerely apologize for any and all errors (spelling, grammatical, etc.) throughout "Flash Forward". I'm usually pretty anal when it comes to those things, but more often than not, I would get really excited about publishing the next chapter for you all to read, and I wouldn't thoroughly read through to make sure that everything was as it should be. So I'm very sorry everyone!

-Now, here come the random notes and whatnot:

-In the anniversary chapter, Stevie delivers a present from Dwight and Mary Evans but I forgot to mention what it was; it was a gold antique mantel clock. First anniversaries are the "paper" anniversary but the gift-giving is gold (jewelry, etc.). I was inspired by an old-fashioned clock my parents got for their first anniversary and tied it into the fic. But then I, of course, forgot to show Sam and Mercedes opening it. Woops!

-Many of the events of Sam and Mercedes' wedding were a fusion of what I remember from my older brother's own wedding, and what I envision my dream wedding to be. The use of Prince's song "Kiss" after jumping the broom, and the dip kiss were both direct events from my brother's wedding. Shout out to my brother for his 2 cents on his wedding plans and that adorable impromptu dip kiss! ;)

-The 8th(?) chapter, "In Joy & Sorrow" was by far, the most difficult chapter for me to write for this fanfic. I hate writing sad or angsty drama (as you probably can tell from the overload of fluff in this fic). But many of you understand why I did it, as the story progressed.

-Rachel and Jesse's first born is/will be a boy—Lionel Andrew St. James. Lionel, after Lionel Richie, whose song they first sang together ("Hello"), and Andrew after acclaimed Broadway producer, Andrew Lloyd Webber.

-Also! Rachel and Jesse had a discreet marriage upon Rachel's request. While it was Jesse's first time getting married, Rachel let superstitions of re-living a spectacle out of her wedding get in the way. So she and Jesse agreed to a small ceremony with only their parents as witnesses/guests.

-Finn and Quinn's story is continued/explored in my spin-off fanfic "Future Fuinn Fabrudson". I have no idea how long I'll keep going with that fic either, but right now (June 1 2012, real time) I'm at their wedding! :)

-Puck and Zizes—as you read—are still going strong. After Puck finishes his activity in the Marines, he rents out a small place in San Diego but moves up to LA to live with Lauren. And as you saw in the epilogue, while they aren't moving towards marriage, they are talking about settling down to have a family.

-Mike and Tina continue to live a happy life in San Francisco. Mike has started a blu-ray visual edition of Kidz Bop, teaching young children simple choreography to hit pop and hip-hop songs. Mikey/Mach 3 and Sawyer make cameos.

-Artie found a new girlfriend—a young nurse who's part of a team researching a safe procedure to possibly help him—and others like him—walk again.

-Brittany and Santana still live in Ohio. Brittany quit teaching after a few years and instead opened up a day care close to home. Santana is currently campaigning to be the youngest governor of Ohio

-Kurt, Blaine, Lizzie and Preston still live in New York. Kurt's event planning business has sky-rocketed, sealing him the title of the modern day David Tutera. And after earning a couple more Tonys, Blaine has taken some time off Broadway to be a full time dad. Lizzie continues to be quite the charmer and entertainer to all who she meets, and she adores being a big sister to Preston.

-Esther Puckerman and Stevie Evans did first meet at a 4th of July BBQ at the Evans' estate in Lexington, the previous year. Esther drove from Lima after Puck told her he was there & gave her directions. She spent the day there but, like Stevie, was too shy to speak to him. They tried again to speak to each other at Sam and Mercedes' house-warming party.

-Bobby Jones (Mercedes and Marcus' biological father) is in jail for violating his restraining order and two counts of assault. Two Thanksgivings ago, he barged in at Jeremy and Viola's home. His intrusion led to a fight between him, Marcus and Sam which resulted in Bobby Jones' arrest and five-year sentence.

-The night of Sam and Mercedes' first anniversary, Mercedes had some new lingerie in her duffle bag which is why she told him to stay out of her bag. As a surprise, she put it on later that night and finished what they started that morning.

-When they came back from their overnight hotel anniversary trip, Sam, Mercedes, Stevie and Stacy gathered up all the balloons Sam got, stood out in the carport of their condo and released them in the sky; Mercedes helped Sam gather up all the rose petals once they started drying up.

-Mercedes' former manager, Trisha, had been on hiatus and eventually was fired after being discovered for embezzling funds from the label as well as Mercedes' direct profit. Lauren Zizes was then made her manager, permanently.

Mercedes' titled her fifth album, "Story of M.E." playing off of her legal initials, Mercedes Evans. Her sixth album was titled, "Feels Like Home" and many of the tracks held a soulful, gospel appeal to them. As of 2029, she racked up three more Grammys and has recently taken a break from recording, touring and collaborating to spend time with her family and friends for a while. It's the first lengthy break she has declared since the year she and Sam got engaged; this time she intends to actually relax.

-As of late, Sam has lessened his involvement in music composure and voice acting. In addition to his commitment to his family and their new ranch, he has begun working on the illustrations and story board to an original animated series—as he was telling Jesse and Rachel. The series will be dedicated to his own kids, with constant references to them and the silly things that they do/have done.

-Dwight and Mary Evans are still going strong. Early in 2029, Mary had another cancer scare, but was cleared just one week before the house-warming. She and Dwight were one of my favorite couples to write about (particularly when Sam and Mercedes go to Kentucky to visit & when Sam has his moment with them on his wedding day) & write for. I wish I had written them into the fic a little more, especially after Dante and Ariesa were born.

-Initially, I was going to have Stevie sprout a relationship with one of Mercedes' twin cousins (Justine or Vanessa, who would also be 26 by the year 2029), but I scrapped the idea when I remembered that Puck had a little sister.

-Jeremy and Viola have remained happily married and visit their grandkids as often as possible. I really enjoyed writing out Viola's sass and showing where Mercedes gets it from.

-For those of you who hated Aunt Cassie, or could relate to having an Aunt Cassie? Trust me, I hated her too and I'm sure a lot of families out there have an Aunt Cassie. Hopefully you all have a Viola too, to put her in her place! Haha.

-Dante's first words were "Ba-ba" and Ariesa's was "No." Callie's not quite the Daddy's girl that Ariesa is, but "Da-Da" _was_ her first word.

-Sam and Mercedes named Puck the godfather to Dante and Kurt and Blaine are Ariesa's godparents. Callie's godparents are Finn and Quinn.

-Dante and Ariesa grow up to be a lot like their parents. Dante inherited more of Mercedes' outspokenness and likeability from everyone he meets. Ariesa has a slightly more lax personality than her brother, making her resemble Sam a bit more. She is witty and has an affinity for impersonations (as you learned in the epilogue with her citation) and animated entertainment. Both twins enjoy performing and are taking guitar lessons; they love putting on little recitals from their parents. Both twins enjoy learning new things, but hate reading—mostly because they struggle with it. Sam and Mercedes are both patient parents and work with them, reading Dr. Seuss, Arthur, and Bearenstain Bears books with them every night. And as dynamic as their personalities often are, Dante and Ariesa still look out for each other on the playground and are fiercely protective of their little sister.

-Despite Sam and Mercedes going back and forth with their playful "If"s at the end of the epilogue, Mercedes is indeed pregnant. Mike and Tina will be the godparents to that baby.

-I may or may not come back to this fic somewhere down the road. If I do, it will be under a different title, to avoid confusing people with post-epilogue/author's note chapters. For now, I do think it's time for me to move on and work on other Glee fics I have going on ("Three's Company", "The Joe Evans Adventure", "Future Fuinn Fabrudson" & one that is a secret/surprise and currently a collaboration are in the works!). However, I would like to once again thank every single person who took the time to read this fanfic—whether you've been reading along since I started it or whether you just found it a few days ago, I'm extremely thankful to all of you for your love and support! I hope you'll keep following along with some of my other fanfics! And if you ever have any questions about this fic or any my other fanfics, or if you want to see something become a fic, my PM is always available and I would love to hear some possible ideas! Things inspire me out of the blue, and other times, I'm given great ideas directly. ("Flash Forward" started as an out-of-the-blue inspiration). But I thank you all, a thousand times over!


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